Wolverine
by Stephen King Reincarnated
Summary: Bella Logan has lived for over a hundred years without anyone figuring out her secret. Her growing attachment to Edward puts herself and his family in danger. When she realizes that the Cullens aren't what they seem, what will she do?
1. Chapter 1

Wolverine

Hello! This is the second story I will be writing for Twilight, so I hope I do a good job of entertaining you guys. Now I _know _that Bella is not exactly like Wolverine, but I wanted to make her story more original. I'll try to stick close to his character just because I think he's a total badass.

I hope you enjoy the first chapter of Wolverine. Any confusion will be cleared up in flashbacks or long rants by a ticked off Bella.

Just putting this out there, wouldn't it be cool to write a story in which Bella has Gambit, A.K.A Remy Labeau's abilities? I'm just saying; it would make a good story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Wolverine, but I do take credit for Bella's awesomeness in this story.

-

_"I don't carry no grudges, bub - I work out my aggressions on the spot!"_

-

Bella's POV

_It's September 13, 1912. It's my eleventh birthday and I'm in pain. My mom is in the bedroom with a man who isn't my father. I can hear them even though I have my hands over my ears. The man who isn't my father is groaning and panting. When he leaves, he'll give my mom some money and then she can go to the store to buy me some medicine for my pain. I love her so much. She's so beautiful and when I grow up, I'm going to look just like her._

_Another sound, maybe four or five blocks away, catches my attention. I recognize the staggering feet as those of my father, a man I hate. I try not to whimper too loudly. He hates it when I make noise. I try to get out of bed to warn my mother, but I end up on the floor, crying. The pain is deep inside my bones. The world goes black for a minute and then the door is opening. My father hears the noises and he goes into the bedroom._

_He yells. I hear mom screaming and then I hear a gunshot, and the screaming stops. I hear another shot and I'm on my feet. The pain is forgotten and I'm running into the room. The door is ajar and I smell the rust and salt scent of blood. My mom is on the bed. The stranger is next to her. Their clothes are off and they're covered in blood._

_I scream and my father grabs the collar of my nightgown. He slams an empty beer bottle into my temple and I fall to the ground. My fingernails dig into the floor as he begins to pull my nightgown off. My hands begin to hurt and bleed. Something begins to poke out from between my knuckles. They're white like bone and it _burns.

_They push through and they're long like claws. I twist around and plunge them into my father. They push through stomach, crushing the bones and tearing the flesh. I scream, this time in anger and rip them out of him. The door is open and I escape into the darkness. I run as fast as I can. My bare feet are immune to the glass and rocks beneath me. I run faster than I've ever run. The burning pain in my legs disappears as I run through the city. No one can catch me. I run even faster than a horse, or even an automobile._

_I keep running because something is after me, it's going to catch me it's-_

I jerked out of my dream with a startled shriek. My seatbelt kept me from going out the windshield as Charlie slammed on the breaks. He looked over at me, silently asking if I'm all right. I nodded my head, feeling guilty that I freaked him out. He has enough problems without having to worry about my mental health.

It was January 10th, 2010 and I was on my way to Forks, Washington.

-

Charlie was a nice guy. I've been around long enough to know how to spot them. Charlie didn't ask me stupid questions or prattle on about how much fun it was going to be with me around. He also didn't comment on the fact that I was going to be a huge interruption in his solitary life. When I'd decided to move to Forks, I'll admit I was worried about how Charlie would receive me. It's not as if I go out of my way to be horrible, but oftentimes, people find me to be…difficult.

Charlie was my new foster mom, Renee's ex-husband. That alone made me feel like a jerk. If it weren't for the fact that I'd visited Charlie over the summer when I was pretending to be seventeen, (really, I was a hundred and seven), I never would have considered asking him if I could stay.

True, I would be gone by the end of the school year, but still, that's six months. Despite the elderly talking about how the years flow by, I never got to that stage. Maybe if I didn't have to keep repeating high school I would be a little more laid back about time.

To me, six months is still six months. After that, I could go off to college _again_, get a job _again_, and, finally, disappear so that I could start the whole miserable cycle over again. It could be worse. I just need to remember that.

Charlie parked his police cruiser in the driveway. Charlie had a nice house. It was a lot better than some of the other hellholes I'd spent my nights in. He even had a room all made up for me.

I hoped it wasn't pink.

Renee was an okay foster mom. Honestly, I think I was just a passing phase for her. She had a tendency to be impulsive, but she wasn't horrible to me like some of the other families I'd lived with. Contrary to popular belief, most foster parents aren't in it for the money; most of them really want to help kids like me.

Not that I needed any help or anything.

But, Renee, she probably felt guilty and relieved when I told her I wanted to finish my school year in Forks. I think she got tired of my after she realized I didn't like doing the whole "girl's night out" thing. Renee was looking for a friend, not a kid. She'd found her other half, Phil, and suddenly I wasn't so interesting. I didn't mind. She's a good person. She deserves her happiness.

And I don't.

-

Forks, Washington; Population 3120. I've _killed_ more people than that.

"Your hair's longer," Charlie commented, glancing over at me.

"Yeah," I replied. "I haven't cut it in a while." That was a lie. My hair grew abnormally fast. It was irritating for the most part, but it was also helpful in disguising my age. I knew how to looking fifteen or twenty depending just by giving myself a haircut. I knew how to make my cheeks look rounder to give me a more baby-faced look.

Truthfully, I was scrawny, and no matter how much or little I ate, my weight stayed the same. I'd always been skinny, and it was hard to gain weight in the army, especially when supplies were low and you knew that the guy next to you was going to die of starvation if he didn't eat something.

"Oh," Charlie replied. "It looks nice like that."

"Thanks," I said. We slipped back into silence until we arrived at Charlie's house. It was just as I remembered it. It was big and white. Charlie was the chief of police, which meant he had the highest salary. I would have to remember not to eat him out of house and home while I was there.

Charlie, like a true gentleman, helped me with my bags. I couldn't remember the last time anyone had done that without me asking first. He led me up the stairs into the guestroom. It was my room now. Luckily, it wasn't pink. It was purple. I could deal with that. Paintings covered the walls. That was a benefit. It made the room look lived-in.

"You have pretty good work-lamp," Charlie said, motioning towards the desk where an ancient computer hibernated. "The saleslady picked out the bed stuff. You like purple, right?"

I smiled at him. It could be worse. "Purple's cool."

"Okay." Charlie looked around the room once more before leaving. One good thing about Charlie, he doesn't hover.

I finished unpacking my bags in record time. I was very fast. I wondered what the radio signal was like around here. I hoped I could find a decent station out there.

I heard the loud approach of a truck. It parked in the driveway and I set out to investigate. I opened the curtains and nearly jumped the two-storey drop in my excitement.

I rushed down the stairs and opened the door. I grinned as I spotted the visitors.

"I could hear you coming from down the street," Charlie was saying.

"Hey Billy! Jacob! How are you?" I announced, sprinting towards them. Billy and Jacob were definitely nice guys as well, Jacob especially. "Holy crap, Jake, did you get a leg transplant or something? You're like, six inches taller!"

Jacob laughed. "You're looking pretty good too, Bells," he replied. I tried to remember that he was only sixteen, and that sooner or later he was going to start noticing girls. It was only natural that I'd be someone he'd find attractive. My mother had always been beautiful and she told me that I looked just like her. Still, it was sort of heartbreaking when I thought about how doomed any romance I might have would be. That was one reason I didn't like to get too close to people.

Instead of letting myself get all miserable, I spun around, showing off my jeans and t-shirt with a flourish. "I know. I was just getting ready to visit this really hot prince from Europe. Do you think he'd mind if I forgot to brush my teeth before we started making out?"

Jacob laughed again. "I wouldn't," I heard him mutter, quietly enough that no normal person could hear. I forced myself not to sigh.

My eyes took in the monster of a truck they'd just rode up in, and my breath caught. There, lying in the back was my black and silver motorcycle. It was a 1963 Harley Davidson DuoGlide FLH. In other words, it was a seriously bitchin ride.

I squealed excitedly and rushed around to pull it out. Jacob, like a true gentleman, gave me his unnecessary assistance as we set it down on the driveway. I ran my hands over it, savouring the familiar feel of it.

"Oh, _thanks _you guys! You didn't have to pick it up for me," I gushed.

Jacob seemed only too pleased with my enthusiasm. "It was no trouble."

It lifted the seat up and found the compartment inside. I used it to hold my belongings when I was on the run. At that time, it contained my unnecessary, but still stylish, black helmet. I'd purchased it after Renee had expressed her fears about my somewhat risky driving. If she had any idea what I did when she _wasn't _looking, I'd never ride anything faster than a bumper car.

Charlie, of course, was looking at us all with displeasure. The poor guy had seen far too many accidents involving motorcycles and teenagers. I made a mental note to drive carefully when I was around him.

"Hi, Bella," Billy Black piped up.

I grinned at him and bent over to hug him in his wheelchair. "That was so nice of you guys. It's great to see you again, Billy."

He laughed. Once upon a time, Billy's laugh had probably sounded exactly like Jacob's. "I'm just glad you're here. Charlie hasn't shut up about it since you told him you were coming."

"Keep it up Billy and I'll roll you into the mud," Charlie replied.

"Or I'll ram you in the ankle!" Billy then proceeded to roll after him as Charlie put up his fists mockingly.

"Are they always like this?" I asked Jacob.

He nodded, rolling his eyes. "It's getting worse in their old age."

"I told you she'd appreciate it," I heard Billy say to Charlie. "I'm down with the kids."

"Oh, yeah," Charlie deadpanned. "You're the bomb."

"So," I began. "Where's the school?"

"Uh," Jacob looked around, uncomfortable. "I go to school on the reservation, but I can give you directions."

"Damn," I muttered. "It would've been nice to know one person."

Jacob grinned at me. "I'll visit if you want. I know a few good trails for our bikes."

I looked at him, surprised. "You have a motorcycle?"

"Yeah." He tried hard to hide his smile, but I noticed. "Honestly, it's kind of dangerous to drive around on the wet roads. You should be careful."

I laughed. "Don't worry, Jake. I can take care of myself."

-

If there was one thing I loved, it was riding my motorcycle. It was just the road and me. All of my problems just blew away. Too soon, I reached my destination. I was lucky that Jacob's directions were so good; otherwise, I would have missed the high school.

I'd been to a _lot _of high schools, and this one was just weird. It was red bricked and only two-storeys high; another testament to how small Forks really was. The school was made up of separate buildings that made you walk outside in the rain to get to your next class. I do so _love_ intuitive designers.

My first day at a new school. That was always the hardest. Nobody knows you, and what they _do _know is that you're a foster kid, which means that your parents are either dead or abusive. I wondered what rumours had started circulating.

I pulled into the parking lot, smirking to myself as I saw dozens of gapping faces. I do know how to make an entrance. Maybe I would go with the _bad girl _cliché. Nah. I didn't want to freak Charlie out.

I found a parking space next to a blue van and shut off the engine. I climbed off my bike and lifted my helmet off. My hair cascaded down to my waist and I heard several intakes of breath.

"It's a _girl_?" I heard someone from behind me say.

"Dude, come _on_. Her name's Isabella. Of _course _she's a girl."

Damn it. I really hated my full name.

I lifted up my seat and fished out my backpack. I dumped my helmet inside and pulled out my class schedule. I had English, History, Gym, Lunch, Biology, and Calculus. Why the hell did I take history? And Gym? God, I hated gym! There was only so much patience I had for people who weren't as strong and fast as I was.

It could be worse.

"Hey, you're Isabella Swan, aren't you?"

It was worse.

I turned around and found a dark haired boy standing there. He was probably of Asian descent. He was smiling at me. He continued talking before I could correct him. "I'm Eric, the eyes and ears of this place. Um, anything you need; tour guide, lunch date, shoulder to cry on, I'm your man."

"It's Bella Logan, and thanks, but I'm really more of a suffer in silence kind of girl." I watched his face to make sure I hadn't offended him. His smile widened.

"Good headline for the feature." My confused expression spurned him on. "I'm the head of the school paper, and you're news, baby."

Oh, do _not _call me "baby."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I said, holding my heads up in surrender. I shook my head. "Please don't. I really don't want to draw anymore attention to myself." Not to mention that some shmuck might one day find a picture of me forty years down the road and realize that I haven't aged. That would be just my luck.

"Whoa, chillax. All right, no feature. Are we cool?"

"Yeah," I nodded. Maybe he wasn't so bad after all.

I adjusted the collar of my brown and gold leather jacket and headed inside.

-

English and History sped by, but gym was just as bad as I'd imagined. We had to play volleyball. Call me a feminist, but I preferred games that were a little more extreme. Football was always fun. I mystified everyone around me when I tackled boys who were twice my height and triple my weight. Oh, yes. Football is my game.

I stayed near the back and tried not to make too much of a spectacle of myself. The last thing I needed was for the ball to crash through a wall or something. After a particularly good spike curtsey of _moi_, a boy approached me from the other half of the gym.

"Hey, I'm Mike," he said. Mike had short brown hair and an eager smile. He gave me a once-over and I wished like hell that I was allowed to keep my jacket on while I played.

"She's got a good spike, huh?" A girl with brown hair piped up as she noticed me. "I'm Jessica. You're from Arizona, right?"

I nodded.

"Aren't people from Arizona supposed to be like, really tanned?" She took in my pale skin.

I shrugged. "Maybe that's why they kicked me out."

The two sycophants broke out into laughter and I realized that Jessica was looking at Mike almost the same way Jacob was looking at me the day before. Unfortunately, Mike had his eyes trained on me.

Damn it! How do I get myself into these situations?

The bell rang and Jessica promptly invited me to sit at her table. I accepted. One thing I've learned is to never turn down a chance to sit with someone. Bullies hunted down lone wolves like me. Luckily for them, I don't bite…too much.

The cafeteria was blasé. Rows of flags adorned the windows and several paintings hung on the wall, but otherwise it was nothing special. The walls were white.

Mike held a seat out for me. I sat down obligingly and began to eat. Honestly, I didn't even have to eat. I once went for weeks without food and didn't suffer at all because of it. The only thing I noticed was that I healed more slowly. You never know when you'll need to recover from a severe wound, so it's better to be prepared.

"Hey, Mikey, you met my home girl, Bella," Eric said.

"Your home girl?" Mike asked.

Then, to my extreme aggravation, another boy leaned over and kissed me on the cheek. "My girl," he said, before pulling Mike's seat out from under him. I considered the possibility of where to hide his body. Jacob would probably lie me an alibi if I told him the reason for the teenager's demise.

The boy began to race across the cafeteria as Mike took off after him.

The girl's at the table began to giggle helplessly. "It's like the first grade all over again. You're the shiny new toy." Jessica giggled again.

"Smile," the other girl said in a singsong voice. She snapped my picture. I flinched and blinked my eyes at the afterimage. "Sorry. I needed a picture for the feature."

"Feature's dead, Angela!" Eric told her, rather rudely in my opinion. "I got your back, baby," he told me, patting my back.

I swear to God, if you keep calling me baby, you'll be sharing a grave with Mister Kiss and Run.

Angela sighed. "I guess we'll just run another editorial on…teen drinking," she said, sounding disappointed. I immediately felt guilty.

"You could always write about eating disorders," I said. Jessica arched an eyebrow in my direction, so I changed tactics. "Or, Speedo padding on the swim team."

The girls laughed. "Actually, that's a good one," Angela said, surprised.

"That's exactly what I thought," Jessica piped up. "We're talking Olympic size."

"There's no way. He's so skinny. It doesn't make sense."

I was distracted from their chatter by a sound. My ears picked up two sets of _very _soft footsteps. I spun around in my chair, fascinated and spotted two ridiculously beautiful kids entering the cafeteria.

"Who are they?"

_-_

You may now commence into cursing. Yes, I did end it right there. I hope you'll notice the changes I made. Sorry about the long-winded explanation at the beginning. I'll try to minimize those in the future. I said I would have this up in five days, and I finish it in one. I should get a medal.

Check out my one-shot. It's really good, I swear.

Adieu, faithful readers.


	2. Chapter 2

Wolverine

Wow, I appreciate the reviews for the first chapter. Thank you.

Just to clear up some things; Bella has abilities similar to Wolverine, but none of the other characters from X-Men will be in my story. It's not technically a crossover. I'm sorry if this disappoints some people.

-

Edward's POV

"Who are they?"

My head turned to the left and I searched for the unfamiliar voice.

"The Cullens," Angela Weber, a mind I was more familiar with, answered.

"They're Doctor and Mrs. Cullen's foster ki…" _Oh, you idiot! She's a foster kid! She'll probably think I'm a jerk if I badmouth them. Then she'll leave and Mike won't talk to me anymore- _I stopped tuning into Jessica Stanley's mindless chatter.

"Foster kids?" The voice asked.

"Uh, yeah," Jessica sputtered.

I finally spotted the girl seated next to Jessica. Her brown eyes locked onto mine before she looked away.

"It's alright. You don't have to tiptoe around me."

The girls let out mental sighs of relief.

"See, they moved down from Alaska a few years ago."

"They kind of keep to themselves."

Jessica piped up, "Because they're together! Like together-together."

"They're not related, Jess," Angela defended.

Jessica spread her hands over the table. "See, there were five of them, but the other three graduated last year; Emmett Cullen and Rosalie and Jasper Hale. Emmett and Rosalie were like a thing. Jasper and Alice," She turned around and pointed towards my favourite sister, "They're really close. Jasper visits her after school every day. I'm not even sure that's legal."

"They're both adults, Jess," Angela defended, again.

"Doctor Cullen's like this foster dad slash matchmaker," Jessica continued, oblivious.

"Maybe he'll adopt me," Angela said, trying to be funny.

"What about him?" I tried to find the girl's mind, but…nothing.

_Oh, good luck, idiot! _"That's Edward Cullen. He's totally gorgeous, but I guess none of the girls around here a good enough for him." My cheek lifted in response to the petty girl's remark. It was a relief not to have to deal with her annoying fantasies. If she'd known what would've happened if my teeth were that close to her, that would've ended her thoughts rather quickly. "Like I care, you know?" Jessica continued, trying to save face. "So, don't waste your time." _Fat lot of good that will do her. She's not even that pretty. I don't understand why everyone is staring. Even Mike…_

"I wasn't planning on it," the girl, Bella Logan I finally realized, replied. She was Charlie Swan's new charge, his flighty ex-wife's foster child. I could only imagine how much of a disturbance she would make. Small towns had a tendency to talk.

She turned around in her seat and stared at me. I stared right back, trying to get a read on her mind.

Nothing.

-

I took my seat in Biology, preparing for another hour in purgatory. The students around me were consumed with thoughts of Bella Logan, as she had corrected everyone. They thought about her motorcycle; I found myself somewhat envious of that, but mostly they discussed her story. They cited abuse or abandonment as reasons for her status.

It was none of their business.

The thought made me pause. I rarely got involved enough in human affairs to care about whether or not a student was being treated badly. I suppose it had to do with my own confusion and frustration at not knowing myself what had happened.

That was not good. I couldn't afford to be curious. Actually, Bella Logan couldn't afford it. I would find a way to read her mind, and she would have the same thoughts as any other teenager. I was just setting myself up to be disappointed.

"Mr. Molina," Mike Newton's voice interrupted my musings.

"Hey, Mike," the biology teacher, Mr. Molina said. "Ah, yes. Miss Swan."

"It's Bella Logan. Sorry, they must have screwed up my name in the transfers." My head snapped up as I heard her voice. She had a notebook in one hand and a strand of her hair in another. Her eyes locked onto mine and she stuck the hair into her mouth. My eyes followed automatically as she began to chew on it. She seemed to realize what she was doing and pulled the strand out, looking annoyed at herself. Obviously, she considered her minor oral fixation to be a sign of weakness. That was better than most of the girls who chewed their nails and their pencils without a thought as to what kinds of bacteria they were ingesting.

"Okay, well, no problem. I'll have Mrs. Cope look into it. There's a seat right over there." Mr. Molina pointed towards my desk and I pulled my books to the side. I almost pitied the girl. She was going to be very uncomfortable sitting next to a vampire for the next six months. Maybe the close proximity would allow me access to her thoughts…not that I'd ever needed to be close…and not that I'd find anything worth listening to.

Bella Logan began to make her way towards me. The heating vents turned on and her scent washed over me. It was floral, like freesias, and something like strawberries. I waited for the dry ache in my throat, the hollow yearn in my stomach, the automatic tensing of my muscles and the excess flow of venom in my mouth…

Nothing.

Bella's scent wasn't appealing to the hunter in me at all. I felt no need to kill her, but I wasn't altogether repelled by her as I'd been with the wolves all those years ago…

It was more like smelling a garden than a buffet. I didn't know what to make of this new development. I'd never met a human who didn't appeal to me in that way.

Bella sat down. I caught her looking at me from the corner of her eye. She inhaled and I noticed the fine hairs on the back of her hands stand up. Her muscles tensed as if preparing to run. I realized that I was frightening her.

That wouldn't do. I didn't want to scare her away.

"Hello, I'm Edward Cullen. You're Bella Logan, aren't you?" I made my voice as soft and pleasant as I could.

Bella's head whipped around to stare at me. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at my innocent expression. "How did you know my name?" she asked haughtily.

I tried to keep from showing too much of my teeth as I smiled at her boldness. "I think everyone knows your name."

"_Everyone_," she emphasized, "has called me Isabella Swan."

"Oh," I realized my mistake too late. How had she even noticed that? Wasn't she frightened of me? "I heard the others talking about you. They called you Bella Logan. I assumed that was what you preferred."

Her face became less hostile. "Yes, it is. Names are important in that way."

What an odd thing to say. "What do you mean?"

"Well," she looked at the front of the room, checking to see if we would be interrupted. The teacher was busy with the projector. We had some time. "I love Renee, my foster mom, really I do. She's just not _my mom_, you know. I don't want to give up my name. It's the only thing I have left of her. I know that you're a foster kid too, and I know that you probably had a different name before you lived with Doctor Cullen. What was it?"

She wanted to know my real name, the name that had burned away along with my humanity? What was this child thinking? "It was Masen. Edward Anthony Masen the Second."

She laughed. To my surprise, I found myself smiling at her. She had a lovely laugh. "That's funny. I'm Isabella Marie Logan the Second." She grinned at me, and I noticed that she no longer shied away from me as she had earlier. Obviously, I'd done my job. There was no reason for me to continue talking to her. She wasn't going to tell her new friends that the Cullens made her hair stand on end. I should not _want _to keep talking to her, but my own curiosity, my desire to know her thoughts was becoming greater with every second.

Mr. Molina finally started the lesson and we turned away from each other. I felt irritation as our conversation cut short. That would not do at all.

The hour passed by more slowly than usual. I kept one eye on Bella. She didn't seem to be paying much attention to the lesson either. Her fingers clasped a necklace and she began to twirl it around. I looked closer and realized that they were actually Dog Tags. The army used them to identify fallen soldiers. The name "Benjamin Logan" was inscribed on them.

"He was my great, great-grandfather. He fought in World War II when he was a teenager." Bella's whisper startled me. I looked up and saw that she was smiling at me. "That _was_ what you were looking at, right?"

I realized that my gaze had travelled to a very inappropriate location. I felt intense embarrassment. "Yes, I was wondering why you were wearing them."

She shrugged. "My mom gave them to me. I've always felt proud of them. I even have his Victory Medal."

The bell rang. Bella began to gather up her books. I found myself speaking to her again, "What's your next class?"

"Calculus," she replied curtly.

I tried not to feel disappointed. I had Spanish. Luckily, I remembered that the two classes were down the same hall. "I'm heading that way. Do you mind if I walk with you?"

"Sure." I followed her out into the hall, chuckling to myself as I heard the audible and inaudible complaints from the other students. "What's so funny?"

I grinned. "The other students don't seem to appreciate me stealing your attention."

She frowned, and her teeth bit down onto her lip. "They'll live. You're much easier to talk to than them."

I was?

"Frankly, I don't really do the whole small town thing. I prefer the city." We approached her classroom and stood outside.

"If you like the city, why did you move here?" Surely, her foster mother didn't actually send her away to live with a stranger. Weren't there laws to protect children like her?

She shrugged nonchalantly. "Renee married this baseball player named Phil a few months ago. Having me around was really cramping the newlywed vibes, so I decided I'd hang out here for a few months to give them a chance to get to…know each other." She shuddered, apparently visualizing some very private interactions between the two. "Thanks for walking with me Edward." She headed inside, leaving me more confused than ever.

I went to my Spanish class and sat down next to Alice. She was too busy searching Jasper's immediate future to notice me. I was almost thankful for her obsessive love for the ex-soldier. It made it easier to pretend that I wasn't thinking about making friends with a human girl. No matter how unappealing her scent was, she was still in danger from me.

Spanish class passed by more quickly when I tuned in to Mr. Varner's thoughts and located Bella. She was scribbling down answers into her notebook as quickly as he wrote the questions on the chalkboard. I was impressed. She was obviously very intelligent for a human. Most of the other students were hiding calculators under their desks. I once again tried to get a read on her thoughts, and failed.

The final bell rang. Alice and I swept out of the room and headed for the parking lot. She was still busy watching Jasper. He was getting into his car to drive down to see her. This lifted her already perky mood considerably. She skipped towards my Volvo and sat down gracefully in the front passenger seat. I'll admit it was a relief not to have the vehicle crammed with wall-to-wall vampires.

"Ohmygod! You _talked _to Edward Cullen?" I looked up automatically as I heard my name. Jessica Stanley and Bella exited the school and headed towards their respective vehicles.

I saw Bella shrug. "He was nice. I don't know. Maybe he's just shy around pretty girls." She gave her new friend a wide grin. Jessica's thoughts immediately went to her looks and her ability to ensnare Mike Newton with them.

Pretty? That was ridiculous. Bella was much prettier than that vile-minded…

Oh, dear.

I got behind the wheel of my car. Alice was looking at me strangely.

_What's up?_

"Nothing." Alice's nose crinkled up in frustration. I started the car and drove much faster than I usually did. I managed to convince myself that I wasn't running away.

This would not do at all.

-

Bella's POV

I fell facedown onto my new bed. I groaned audibly as I remembered my biology class. Why had his scent affected me like that? I was ready to bolt before he started to speak to me. I'd quickly ascertained that he was trying to be nice, but still. My instincts were never wrong about things like that. What was wrong with him that would make me react like that?

Charlie knocked on my door. "Bella, can I come in?" Charlie opened my door and peered in guiltily. Once he determined that I was fully clothed, he came in. "I just wanted to tell you that I'll be out for a while. A security guard down at Mason County got killed by some sort of animal."

"An animal?" I asked.

"You're not in Phoenix anymore, Bella. Don't worry. I'll be back soon. Just…get your homework done."

I decided not to tell him that I'd finished my homework during calculus.

Charlie left, closing the door behind him and leaving me alone with my thoughts.

I determined that it wasn't healthy to obsess about gorgeous teenage boys, no matter how decent they were. I put a CD of my old favourites into the DVD player downstairs and began tidying up Charlie's house. The guy was wonderful, but he was a slob.

Jacob's offer to go motorcycling seemed very tempting. I wondered how he'd feel if I pulled up outside his house and asked if he'd like to come out and play.

On second thought, I remembered Jacob's attraction to me. Damn! Life sucked all around. I almost wished I had more homework.

I lay back on the couch and pulled out a book. Maybe I could get lost in fantasy for a few hours. One could always hope.

-

Edward's POV

"Nothing happened. We talked. I'm not going to eat her." My sister's perseverance reminded me of a police interrogation. Eventually the suspect would break down. Luckily, I hadn't done anything wrong.

Right?

Surely having an innocent conversation with a nice, intelligent, very attractive…

Son of a bitch.

I hadn't realized that I'd uttered that aloud until I saw Esme's disapproving look.

"Sorry, mom," I apologized sheepishly. I buried my face back into my book, purposely ignoring Alice's insistent badgering. I leaned my head back against the arm of the couch and shifted so that I was lying down.

"Come on, Edward, tell me!" Alice leaned over the back of the couch, hovering over me. "I keep seeing you talking to her. Tell me about her."

I huffed. "How can someone so small be so annoying?" I muttered.

Alice growled from above me. I ignored her.

"Alice, dear, can you go get the sheets from the beds? I'm doing laundry," Esme asked politely.

Alice huffed, but she diligently headed up the stairs to the bedrooms.

"Have I mentioned today that I love you?" I asked.

Esme smiled and leaned over the back of the couch to kiss my forehead. "Thank you."

_You do realize that she won't leave you alone, don't you?_

I sighed heavily. My own reluctance to discuss Bella was confusing. It just seemed too personal to discuss in a house full of vampires.

Alice shoved the sheets into the laundry room and called out, "Carlisle! Edward made a friend, but he won't tell me about her!"

I considered my chances of decapitating the little brat before Jasper could get his hands on me, but Jasper's alert form persuaded me not to. I really didn't want to cause a conflict over a human, even one as amazing as Bella.

Son of a bitch.

Carlisle opened the door and entered the living room. Alice rushed to his side and grabbed his arm. She jumped up and down like a child having a tantrum. "Carlisle, make him tell, make him tell, make him tell!"

I rolled my eyes. "If she keeps this up, I'm moving to Alaska." It was an empty threat, and of course, Alice knew that.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked.

I put down my book and grabbed my hair in frustration. Carlisle didn't need to tell me that Alice wouldn't quit. He knew that I knew.

Son of a bitch.

"I noticed that she was upset when she sat down next to me. I tried to calm her down so that she wouldn't draw any attention to us. She's intelligent and kind and I can't read her mind!" I stood up after that proclamation and headed for the stairs.

"What?" Jasper asked. "You can't hear her?" I shook my head. "At all?" I noted the tension in his voice. The family depended on me to keep an ear out for stray thoughts. The unknown was always considered a danger to us.

"Not for a lack of trying. I'm going to keep talking to her to see if I can figure out how she's blocking me. Stop reading so much into things."

I headed upstairs and collapsed facedown on my couch.

Son of a bitch.

-

Was that original enough for you? I hope you enjoyed it. I can write pretty damn fast when I get an idea. Sorry if it seemed a little rushed. Edward's isn't in love with Bella yet, but he _is _interested in her.

I hope I didn't confuse you with the switching POVs. I thought you might appreciate Edward's point of view. I took some of his lines from Midnight Sun just in case you were wondering. Edward is fun to write.

Adieu faithful readers.


	3. Chapter 3

Wolverine

Damn! I forgot to add a Wolverine quote in the last chapter. Oh well, I'll just add two this time. Maybe one of you should remind me so that I don't forget again. Wolverine has some kick ass lines.

-

"_As Mark…Twain said…I forget what the hell Twain said, but I ain't dead."_

_-_

"_Go ahead. Pull the trigger. But after you do, bub…then you're mine."_

_-_

Bella's POV

"If spring training goes well, we could be moving to Florida-"

"Please insert $1.25 for an additional three minutes," an automated voice interrupted.

"Renee, where's your cell?" I asked, amused.

"Don't laugh; I didn't lose my power chord. It ran away! Screaming. I literally repel technology."

I sighed. "I miss you."

Renee made an "aw" sound and said, "I miss you too. So tell me, how's your school? Are there any cute boys?"

"Well," I laid myself down on my new bed and stared at the ceiling. "There's this one guy in my biology class-"

Renee gasped. "What's his name? Is he cute? How old is he?"

I laughed. "His name is Edward Anthony Masen the Second, or Edward Cullen. He's a foster kid. I don't know what happened to his parents, but he seems like an okay guy. He's about eighteen, I think." I paused. "He's gorgeous!" I lapsed into giggles. "I mean, my _God_, he has this really wild brown-red hair and these really dark golden eyes. I can't believe I'm saying this, but he's just too hot for words!"

"Wow, he sounds like something special." I could hear Renee's smile through the phone. "I've gotta go. I'll call you again soon. Have fun at school. I want to hear more about this boy later."

"Thanks. Bye."

I hopped off my bed and checked the time. Renee had called me just before 5:00 a.m. She was in a different time zone. I didn't mind. One good thing about rapid regeneration abilities was that I don't need as much sleep. I figured I could go outside for a run. Charlie wouldn't be up for at least another hour.

I crept over to my window and slid it open. It squealed and I checked to make sure Charlie hadn't heard anything. I would oil it later. I checked outside to make sure no one was awake and launched myself onto the tree branch. I took another long look around before letting myself fall silently to the ground. There was forest everywhere, so I had my pick of coverage. I took off behind the house; I turned into a blur as I raced through the forest. On instinct, I began to head closer to Mason County. I stopped short when I smelled something that didn't belong.

I twisted around; trying to locate the direction the smell had come from. It was faint, obviously an old scent. I couldn't identify it. It smelled…like Edward, but not like him. Perhaps they were of the same…species?

I shook my head. I needed to get back to Charlie's place before he discovered I was missing.

I headed back through the forest, trying to convince myself that there was no reason to be frightened.

-

Edward's POV

I found that I was more impatient than usual to get to school. I tried to convince myself that it was just my desire to protect my family from exposure that I wanted to speak with Bella and not anything to do with her obvious intelligence, as well as her kindness to those less deserving.

I was failing miserably.

My eyes snapped up as I heard the familiar rumbling of a motorcycle engine. Sure enough, Bella pulled into the parking lot not a moment later. She skidded to a stop just a few spaces down from me. I wondered if it was coincidence.

I heard the sound of a radio playing "The Point Of No Return" from Phantom of the Opera. Bella lifted off her helmet but didn't shut the engine off. She set her helmet down on the ground and began to wave her hands back and forth, as if she were conducting an orchestra.

I approached her with the intent of speaking to her when she put one finger to her mouth, motioning me to keep silent. "I love this part," she explained in a whisper.

The "Phantom" began to sing a much softer melody, begging "Christine" to love him. His voice rose to a crescendo before it abruptly cut off. Gasps, screams, and cries of "monster" emanated from the radio before Bella turned it off.

"Did you know that in 1925, when the first Phantom of the Opera film was released, women were advised to bring smelling salts because The Phantom's horrific deformities might cause them to faint? These were the same women whose husbands and sons had come home from World War I with their limbs blown off. Now, the 2004 version of it was beautifully done, although Gerard Butler was far too handsome to play Erik; that's The Phantom's real name. I enjoyed it though, and I didn't faint when I saw either of them."

She opened her eyes and smiled at me. "Am I boring you?"

"Not at all. I'm surprised that you listen to old music."

She laughed. "Oh, I listen to everything. I just like classics the best. What kind of music to you like?"

I grinned. "Anything but Country. I prefer indie rock to mainstream, though."

Her smile became sarcastic. "What's wrong with Country? I happen to love Patsy Cline and she's totally Country."

I rolled my eyes. "All of her songs sound the same. There'll all about love and loss."

She pouted. Her bottom lip stuck out and I found myself captivated by the expression. "Since all of her songs sound the same, obviously they're all equally wonderful."

My, my, she was stubborn. I hadn't had a good argument since Emmett and Rosalie left.

Her head tilted to the side as she studied my amused expression. Her gloved hand went up to my face and touched my chin. I saw confusion cross her face. "That's odd; I could have sworn your eyes were darker yesterday." I hoped she didn't notice that I stiffened.

Of course my eyes were lighter; I'd gone hunting late last night. Even though I hadn't been that thirsty, anything was better than listening to Alice's whining. I loved her, but sometimes I wished she could mind her own business.

Bella shrugged and dropped her hand. I forced myself not to grab it and bring it back. "Must be the lighting," she muttered.

I struggled to find some way to change the subject. I looked at her motorcycle with some distaste. Now that I got a good look at it, it looked quite unsafe. "Do you honestly ride that death-trap?"

Wrong thing to say. Bella stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "Ex_cuse me_? You do not have the right to insult my bike while you're riding around in that _Volvo_!"

She said the word with such revulsion that I had to ask, "What's wrong with my Volvo?"

She rolled her eyes and sighed. "Don't you know that the Volvo is the unofficial method of transportation for the self-proclaimed soccer mom?" She held out her hands and made her fingers into quotation marks.

I had to laugh. She sounded so outraged. I noted that she became extremely articulate when she was angry.

The bell rang. Bella and I sighed in annoyance. We exchanged wry smiles before we headed towards our respective classes. I heard Bella humming the tune of "Crazy" by Patsy Cline. That certainly described my behaviour as of late.

-

Bella's POV

Mr. Mason's English class was dull. The guy didn't have a clue how to motivate his students. We were studying Edgar Allen Poe, one of the greatest horror writers of my time, even _before_ my time, and half the kids were asleep.

That wouldn't do.

A boy named Tyler Crowley finished his paragraph of Poe's classic, The Raven, and laid his head back on his desk.

"Miss Logan, can you read the next paragraph, please?"

I jumped to my feet, knocking my chair to the floor and startling the sleeping teenagers into alertness.

"Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting! Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!" I swept my hand across my desk and sent my books flying into the wall where they collapsed in a heap on the floor. My poetry book went with them, but I had the poem memorized.

"Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! Leave my loneliness unbroken! Quit the bust above my door!" I pointed angrily just above the door of the classroom and then motioned towards the windows as if I were actually banishing the bird.

"Take thy beak from out my heart," At this point, I grabbed onto the front of my shirt as if I were trying to rip my own heart out, "and take thy form from off my door!"

I set my hands down on my desk and bowed my head.

"Quoth the raven, 'Nevermore.'" My voice became much softer.

I realized that no one was going to continue the poem after me. Their open-mouthed expressions made it difficult to continue with the solemn poem, but I couldn't stop.

"And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sittingOn the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floorShall be lifted - nevermore!" I made my tone as dramatic and frightening as I could. This was a horror story, wasn't it?

I gathered up my books and picked my chair up. I sat down and turned to the correct page. For good measure, I clasped my hands together on the desk and sat up straight.

Mr. Mason blinked at me for a few more seconds before he began to clap. The other students, even the ones who had been sleeping, started to applaud as well. I grinned and looked down at my hands.

"That was brilliant. Bella, are you considering an acting career?" Mr. Mason asked me.

I shook my head.

The teacher shook his head and the bell rang. Students crowded around me as I headed for history.

-

Edward's POV

I waited impatiently in Biology for Bella to arrive. She swept into the room and sat next to me. She turned towards me and smiled. "Did you here? I'm officially the school's new acting prodigy."

I had to laugh. Even if I hadn't been eavesdropping on her I would've heard about her demonstration in her English class. She was remarkably dramatic when she wanted to be.

"I love English, but they were ruining "The Raven". I didn't think it was possible to mess up Edgar Allen Poe, but they came close. I had to do something to honour his memory." She twirled a lock of her hair around her finger.

"It was very passionate, from what I heard."

Bella's lips quirked. "Life without passion is merely existence."

"Who said that?" It didn't sound like a familiar quote.

"Isabella Logan the First. She also said, 'Don't waste energy on hate when love is so much more fulfilling', oh, and 'Never turn down a chance to go to the bathroom.'" I snickered loudly.

"Wise woman," I commented. Perhaps that was where she got it from.

"Onion root tip cells," Mr. Molina began, "That's what's on your slides right now, so separate and label them into the phases of mitosis, and the first partners that get it right will win…" He pulled something out of his desk drawer and held it up. "The golden onion." He made his voice crack and several of the teenagers booed him.

Bella's lip quirked up and she pulled the microscope towards her. "Prophase," she said, writing it down on the worksheet. Her handwriting was very neat. It reminded me of the lettering skills that had been beaten into children of my day, both figuratively and sometimes literally. She pushed the microscope towards me. "Your turn."

I decided to trust her judgement. I looked at the new slide. "Anaphase," I said. I grabbed the paper and wrote down the answer just as neatly as she had. I heard her snigger under her breath and wondered what she found so amusing.

She pulled the microscope back and peeked inside. "Metaphase." She wrote the answer down and put up her hand. "We're done!" she called.

Mr. Molina strode over to us.

_Did she even look at the slides? I should have let her do it on her own. Edward probably did all the work._

It annoyed me that he didn't see how intelligent Bella was. Hadn't she demonstrated it enough?

Mr. Molina held up the paper and read it. His eyes squinted as he compared the handwriting. "Which ones did you answer, Miss Logan?"

"Number one and three. Edward did the second." The teacher checked his watch and shook his head.

"Were you in advanced classes in Phoenix?"

Bella shrugged nonchalantly. "I guess so. I'm studying to be a doctor so I figured it would be useful to learn about advanced biology stuff." She shrugged again. "It's no big deal." Mr. Molina nodded and headed for his desk.

_Well, it's a good thing they're lab partners. Now maybe I can teach something to the other students…_

I tried to ignore the teacher's thoughts. It wouldn't do me any good to thrash the stupid man. I turned to talk to Bella again. "You're studying to be a doctor?" I asked. This was something we had in common. I'd gone to medical school several times. I still didn't have enough control to work professionally, but it was still useful information.

She smiled. "I think the human body is cool. I had this bone disease when I was a kid; it caused this horrible burning pain all the time. My dad turned me over to the state so that I could get medical treatment from the foster care system. I'm better now."

"That was quite selfless of him." I saw her mouth tighten.

Her next words sounded like she wanted to tear someone to shreds. "He wasn't selfless. He just didn't want to have to deal with me while he was in jail." She gazed into my eyes, as if searching for something. "Can I tell you something horrible?"

I nodded.

She took a deep breath. "My dad killed my mom when I was eleven. He shot her." She looked at my face, studying my expression. I kept it carefully neutral. "I was in my bedroom. I heard her scream." She choked up. I wanted to comfort her. I wanted to hold her and tell her that everything would be all right. I'm an idiot. "He went to jail. He's dead now. I can't say I'm sad about that. He deserved to die." Her voice was harder. She wiped her tears away and ground her teeth together. "I hated him."

She seemed to realize that she was in a public place, unloading on what she thought was a teenage boy. She flushed red and said, "Sorry, I hope you don't think I'm nuts or anything."

My hand reached out and brushed her hair back. I didn't dare make contact with her warm skin. "It's alright. I don't think you're nuts. I think you're unhappy."

She shrugged. "It's not so bad out here. You're really livening it up." I smiled a little too widely at her word choice. A vampire who livened things up.

I thought about her father. What kind of person shoots their spouse while their child was in the next room? I almost wished that he were still alive. People like him deserved to suffer more than just death.

I'm an idiot.

-

School let out and the students hurried out to the parking lot. I waited by my car, searching for Bella. I would only talk to her for a few minutes. Alice could wait that long. Perhaps I could invite her to my home. Carlisle had hundreds of books on medical science that Bella would probably enjoy. Esme would love having a guest over…

Good God, I want to invite her into a household of vampires. I really am an idiot.

Alice skipped out of the school and winked at me as she sat in the car. She was thinking of the words to Everclear's "Volvo Driving Soccer Mom." I was beginning to question Bella's taste in music more and more.

_Here she comes, Edward!_

I looked over to the school building and saw Bella exiting with Angela. They were discussing the Poe Incident from earlier. Angela kept giggling throughout their conversation. I wished Bella would notice me soon. I didn't want to interrupt her time with Angela though.

Finally, Angela went to her car and Bella began to head towards me. I saw her smile as she saw me waiting for her. She rolled her eyes and bent down to tie her shoelace. My emotions warred between frustration and amusement at her obvious attempt to annoy me. Finally, I leaned against my car and stared up at the clouds, pretending that I didn't care either way. I heard her chuckle to herself.

_NO!_

Alice's mental shriek startled me and I tuned in to her thoughts. She was having a vision. My mouth dropped open as I saw the horror begin to play out in front of me. Tyler Crowley's van skidded on a patch of ice and started to head straight for Bella.

The girl who had become the uninvited focal point of my world looked up. She was kneeling down in front of an old, red Chevy truck. She didn't have any time to run. I saw her eyes dart towards me and I knew that she saw the horror I felt written all over my face.

_Not her! _The words shouted in my head as if they belonged to someone else.

I saw Alice's vision start to shift, but I had no time to look at the outcome. I launched myself across the lot, invisible to the humans around me. I reached the crouching girl in a fraction of a second and stuck out my hand. The van came to a jerky stop and I almost sighed.

Almost…

To the right of my pale, stone hand was another hand. This one was creamy white and the nails were neatly trimmed. The hand sat in a dent exactly like my own hand had made. My eyes lifted and I stared at Bella Logan's shocked face. I was sure that my own expression was beyond bewildered.

I came back to myself and jerked away. I hopped over the back of the red truck just as the screaming students poured into the crevasse between the two vehicles.

"Bella! Are you all right? Someone call an ambulance!" The students' thoughts told me that no one had seen my intervention. Bella's slackened face told me otherwise.

Son of a bitch.

-

Friggin-A! Did you like it? I hope I made it sound believable. I have like 40 reviews for this story, so I wanted to make sure I did a good job. I'm glad you liked Edward's non-attraction to Bella's scent. I thought it would make things easier for them in the long run.

Okay, "Volvo Driving Soccer Mom" is a very funny song. I hear it in my head whenever I see any scenes of Edward cramming his siblings into that car of his.

"Crazy" by Patsy Cline is a really nice song. I do think that Patsy Cline's songs sound alike, but I still like them.

"The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe was published in January of 1845. I just love it.

Next chapter will be mostly Bella's POV. She's going to have a bit of a temper tantrum.

Adieu faithful readers.


	4. Chapter 4

Wolverine

You know, when I average out the number of reviews I have with each chapter; Wolverine has 21.7/chapter and Firestarter has 16.5. I guess that makes this my most popular story ever besides my Darkward one-shot, which has 36 reviews for that one long chapter.

I really need to get out more.

-

"_$%^ING UNICORNS!"_

-

Bella's POV

My mother was very well educated for her time. She had a vocabulary that would make any linguist jealous. One thing she liked to do was use oxymoronic terms to describe situations. She would say something like; horrendously wonderful, marvellously appalling, but the one I remember she said the most was, perfectly awful.

I spilt something on the floor. Well that's just perfectly awful. I failed a test. Oh, dear, that's perfectly awful. I need you get the tweezers so you can pick the glass out of my skull. Well that's just perfectly awful.

Being stuck in a hospital was just perfectly awful.

Charlie opened the emergency room door and rushed inside. "Bella?" he sighed in relief as he saw me sitting up, apparently unharmed.

Well, it wasn't as if the van had stood a chance against me.

He glanced to his right and held up his finger. He pointed to Tyler. "You and I are going to have a talk." He stood by my side, checking for injuries. "You alright?"

"I'm fine, Charlie."

Tyler took this moment to apologize _again_. "I'm sorry, Bella; I tried to stop."

I looked over my shoulder. "Yeah, I know. It's okay."

"No," Charlie disagreed. "It sure as hell is not okay."

I stared at him, unsure of what to make of his protectiveness. "Charlie, it wasn't his fault."

"You could've been killed."

Not likely.

"I wasn't. I'm not even hurt."

Charlie turned back to Tyler. "You can kiss your licence goodbye."

A new sound distracted me. It was similar to the sound Edward made when he walked. I looked towards the door and then I smelled it. It was so similar to Edward's scent that I knew something was up. It was sugary and floral, but it sent my instincts reeling. I already knew who was going to walk through that door.

Sure enough, Doctor Cullen, and it could only be Doctor Cullen by his perfect features and golden eyes, glided in. "I heard the chief's daughter was in." I didn't bother to correct him about my relationship with Charlie.

"Ah, Doctor Cullen," Charlie said, sounding relieved.

"Charlie," he replied.

He looked up at me and grabbed my chart. It listed all of my vital signs; they were all normal, of course. He glanced up at me. "Isabella."

"It's Bella." I caught another whiff of his scent and stiffened. What the hell was up with these people?

He flipped through a few more pages. "Well, Bella, looks like you took quite a spill. How do you feel?"

I took a deep breath and sighed. My instinctive need to get away was wearing off. Obviously, Doctor Cullen wasn't going to hurt me. "Top of the food chain," I replied, smirking.

"Look here," the doctor replied, smirking. He held up a light and moved it back and forth in front of my eyes. "You might experience some post-traumatic stress or disorientation, but your vitals look good. No signs of any head trauma. I think you'll be just fine."

I tried not to laugh. After all I'd been through; it would be just my luck to go nuts after almost being hit by a van.

"I've got a hard head," I replied.

"I'm so sorry, Bella, I tried to-" Charlie shut the curtain on Tyler, cutting him off. I was beginning to like him more and more.

I decided to lie. There was no way I was giving Edward up and I'd need to cover for him in case there were questions. "Luckily, Edward was there to rescue me like a knight in a shiny Volvo. He's the one who pulled me out of the way."

"Edward?" Charlie asked. "Your boy?" He looked at Doctor Cullen.

I caught his discomfort. Maybe I should have kept my mouth shut. "Yes. It sounds like you were very lucky."

"Luck had nothing to do with it," I said softly. Charlie didn't hear me, but the doctor looked up. I raised an eyebrow and grimaced.

"Charlie," he said, sending us on our way.

After we were out in the hallway, Charlie said, "I gotta go sign some paperwork. You should call Renee."

I almost smacked him. "You told her! Charlie, it was nothing! I am fine. Arg, she's probably just freaking out." I pulled out my cell phone and began to dial her number.

I paused as I heard a familiar voice. I leaned around the corner and spotted a beautiful blond girl speaking with Edward and Doctor Cullen.

"This isn't just about you, it's about all of us," the blond girl said.

"What was I supposed to do? Let her die?" Edward Cullen, my almost-rescuer replied.

"Well, apparently she didn't need your help. How are we supposed to deal with this? What is she?" the blond girl again. She sounded like she had an attitude.

"I'm not sure," the doctor replied. "She doesn't smell like anything I've come into contact with. She appears human, but she's obviously not-"

That was enough for me. I strode out of my hiding space. "Hasn't anyone ever told you that it's rude to talk about people behind their back?" The three whatevertheyweres looked up, startled.

I stepped closer to them and sniffed the air. The blond girl's scent was nearly identical to the others'. "I need to talk to you-" My phone rang. I didn't need caller I.D to know that it was Renee. "Later," I finished.

I headed through the nearest set of doors and started walking towards the school. There was no way in hell I was leaving my motorcycle out all night.

-

Edward's POV

Family meetings were hell, especially when they were about the safety of our family. I'd started it by bringing up all the details I'd noticed about Bella over the past two days. There wasn't much. If I'd been able to read her mind, it would have been a lot easier to gather information.

"We should just kill her," Rosalie announced. I growled at her.

"No we shouldn't. Don't try it, Rosalie."

"Think about it, Edward, you know that there's something up with her. Wouldn't it be safer for everyone if she was out of the way?" Jasper this time. I couldn't stop myself from growling at him either.

"Now, settle down," Carlisle said. He raised his hands and I tried to control my fury.

All they saw was the possibility of exposure. They hadn't heard her laugh as we'd argued earlier that morning. (Was it really just that morning?) They hadn't heard her passionate rendition of "The Raven" or watched her pour her heart out about her dead parents and her tragic life.

Alice held her hand up to her forehead. She sat down next to me. I could almost see the lines being drawn. Esme's only thoughts were of keeping us safe, but she didn't want to hurt an innocent girl to do so. Carlisle opposed violence no matter what. Rosalie and Jasper were against letting her live, and Emmett would side with Rosalie no matter what. Alice would side with the winner if this turned into a fight.

A fight? Was I willing to risk my family for a girl I hardly knew?

I thought about that. Yes, I decided I would.

"Nobody is going to touch her. It was my mistake. I'll leave if I have to, but only if I'm sure no one will hurt her."

"Whoa, whoa," Emmett held up his hands. "We'll need you around to make sure she hasn't said anything. Leaving would be the opposite of helpful right now."

"I don't think she will say anything," I mused aloud. "I think she has just as much to lose as we do." I remembered the way the van had bent around her hand as if it were made of steel. I remembered that same hand touching my face earlier.

The growl of an engine startled me out of my reflections. I would recognize it anywhere. By the sound of it, Bella was heading up our driveway right this minute.

"Bella's here," Alice piped up.

Our family exchanged glances before I looked to Carlisle.

He sighed. "We'll talk to her. Maybe we can convince her to keep quiet. Nobody is going to hurt her." He said this mostly to Rosalie and Jasper, but the rest of us heard the threat with equal clarity.

We headed out to the porch to wait for her.

-

Bella's POV

Finding their house wasn't as hard as I'd thought it would be. Edward's scent was so familiar by now that I could have found him while blind and deaf.

I'd told Charlie that I was going for a ride. I hadn't told him any specifics, but he was calmer now that Doctor Cullen had given me a clean bill of health.

It didn't surprise me too much when I saw Edward and what I could only assume was the rest of his family outside on their porch. I climbed off my motorcycle and pulled my helmet off. I sniffed the air again. I compared his family's scents to the ones I'd found in Mason County, but they didn't match up.

Now that I was there, I didn't know what to say. I figured being direct would get me more answers than being nice.

"Are you going to invite me in or what?" I crossed my arms over my chest and waited.

Edward sighed, as if he'd heard something that had upset him. "We might want to stay out here."

Well that was odd. I uncrossed my arms and approached them. I stopped just a few feet from Edward. "How did you do that?"

He looked down and shifted. I had to resist the urge to grab him and shake the answers out of him. "I can't tell you." He looked up, determination in his eyes. "I'd like to reassure my family that you aren't going to tell anyone what you saw."

Okay, I could play this game. "Saw what? What is it that I wasn't supposed to see?" I made my face open up into surprise. "Oh, _that_. Well, if you didn't want me to see _that_, why the hell did you do it?"

He gritted his teeth and I saw that he had asked himself the question. "I don't know."

The blond girl, who I assumed was Rosalie, stepped forward. "It doesn't matter _why _he did it. He's always been stupid. What I want to know is what you're going to do about it."

I really hate it when people get in my face like that.

I put my hands on my hips. "I'm not going to do anything, so drop the attitude, Ice Queen before you really make me mad!"

"Ex_cuse me_? What did you call me, bitch?"

"Who are you calling a bitch, you hag?!"

Oh, I hit a nerve. Rosalie's face took on an animalistic look and she growled low in her throat. Her right hand swiped across my face. Her nails dug into my cheek and I felt my skin rip open. My head snapped to the side.

Pain and I have an interesting relationship. I don't experience as much as a normal human. I once held my hand in an open flame just to see how long I could last. It barely stung. I'd spent the first decade of my life in agony, so my pain tolerance was very high. That didn't mean I enjoyed getting hurt, though.

I felt warm blood leak down my cheek and raised a hand to my face. The wound was already healing. The skin closed up in seconds. I wiped my sleeve across my face to get the blood off.

Damn it! This is my favourite jacket!

For a second, I didn't recognize the sound of my own growls. I twisted on my heel and walked stiffly back to my motorcycle.

"Coward," I heard Rosalie whisper. I spun around.

"Rosalie, don't." This was said by the blond man standing next to Doctor Cullen.

"Bella!" Edward rushed after me and brought a hand up to my cheek. A shock went through me and I stopped growling. "How…?" His voice trailed off as he stared at my flawless cheek.

"I heal really fast, among other things. I'll keep my mouth shut, but you had better keep yours shut too. You don't want me for an enemy, Masen." I grabbed my helmet and put it on. I started the engine and turned around. I easily navigated the dark forest and made it to the main road before I realized that Edward's hand had been freezing cold.

-

Edward's POV

I didn't look at Rosalie as we headed inside. I didn't think I had the restraint to keep from attacking her. The others wisely avoided me as I went to my room.

Bella wasn't human. That was the only explanation for her abilities. She didn't smell human. She healed so quickly. She was more than a match for Tyler's van. So, if she wasn't human and she wasn't a vampire, what was she?

I jumped out of my window, desperate to get away from my family's thoughts. I found a small herd of deer and crouched down. I launched myself at a large buck and brought it down in seconds. The rest of them scurried off in fear. I didn't bother chasing them. I was too busy sniffing the air.

Bella had been out there. I would know her smell anywhere. I began to follow it, wondering where it would lead. She'd been out of town. I wondered why. I began to run the other way and realized I was near Charlie Swan's home. Curiosity gripped me and I hopped up onto a tree branch just outside of an upstairs window.

Bella was asleep on her bed. Her arm lay over her forehead and a purple blanket wrapped tightly around her. I slid closer and heard something.

"Stupid bitch."

I wondered if Bella was awake, but her heartbeat was slow and steady. Her eyes were still closed. She talked in her sleep.

My curiosity increased ten-fold and I crept closer to her window. I pried it up silently and listened for any changes in her heart rate.

"Edward." I froze. I checked her face and found that she was still asleep. Was she dreaming about me? "Edward, don't leave me alone."

Could a dead, frozen heart beat again? It felt like mine was about to.

Her features relaxed into a smile and she stopped speaking. I peered into her room, weary of going inside. I didn't know what else she was capable of doing. Would she know I had been watching her? I couldn't bear the thought of her being angry with me. I could only assume she'd be furious at my intrusion. I slid her window shut and went home.

-

Bella's POV

I jerked awake and surveyed the room, looking for whatever had woken me. Nothing; the room was bare. Damn. And I'd been having the nicest dream too. I felt myself blush in the darkness. Stupid me.

I knew I wasn't getting anymore sleep that night, so I got out of bed and dressed. I needed another run to clear my head.

-

Sorry this one is shorter than the last few. I just have a lot of tweaking to do so that my story seems more unique. Keeping track of all the scenes is very difficult. The next chapter will be longer.

Adieu faithful readers.


	5. Chapter 5

Wolverine

I'm sorry that Bella didn't beat the crap out of Rosalie in the last chapter. I just wanted to let you know that their fight is not over. Bella will probably get in a few swipes over the course of my story. I'm sorry, but I never liked Rosalie. Even in the last book, when she was nicer, she just wanted Bella's baby.

Sorry if it seems a little rushed. I'm going mostly by the movie. I only have six months to make Bella fall in love with Edward. This is going to be a lot longer than I'd planned.

-

"_An' because they are my friends, I owe them life... or a quick, clean death."_

_-_

Bella's POV

"I need everybody's permission slips, okay, Sammy."

We were going to visit a plant nursery. Honestly, anything would be better than sitting next to Edward Cullen. It wasn't that I hated him, far from it; it was just that I knew he didn't trust me. That was all right. I didn't trust him either.

Yesterday, Wednesday, January 13, I'd sat next to Edward and hadn't spoken to him once. That had been torturous. It was amazing what could happen in three days. I'd gone from joking with him as if we were best friends, to not even looking at him.

I looked at the ground. My hands clenched into fists as I noticed the tiny fragments of metal from Tyler's van on the ground. I looked up, and sure enough, Edward Cullen and his siste Alice were heading towards the bus. I stared at them, wondering why I'd never noticed how not human they were.

Mike Newton stepped between us. "You're alive!" he said, mocking Doctor Frankenstein.

I shrugged. "Yeah, false alarm, I guess."

Mike began to stutter. "You know I-I-I wanted to ask you - I mean there's this dance coming up-"

I caught Edward's expression in my peripheral vision. He was staring at Mike and me. He looked like he was listening intently to something.

"So," Mike's voice brought me back to the present. I looked back at him. He hadn't noticed my distraction. "What do you think?"

I was lost. "About what?"

"About…going to the Spring Dance…with me. It not for a couple of weeks, but…"

Oh, God. He was asking me out.

I gave him my best "I don't like you that way but I still want to be friends" smile and said, "Sorry, Mike, I'm going to Jacksonville that weekend."

Mike shook his head as if he couldn't believe I was saying no. "You can't go another weekend?"

"Non-refundable ticket," I told him, hoping like hell that he would just leave. "You should ask Jessica. I know she wants to go with you."

Mike's eyes widened and he looked over to the buses where Jessica stood. She noticed and waved happily in his direction.

"Hey guys, come on, we gotta go. Green is what? Good, let's go." Mr. Molina thankfully interrupted the awkward moment. "Other bus, other bus," he said, pointing to the Cullens.

It must have been my imagination, but I could have sworn that Edward was smiling.

-

Edward's POV

Mr. Molina was at the front of the line of students, explaining the "coolness" of compost. Luckily, I had other things to entertain myself with. "What's in Jacksonville?" I asked Bella.

She turned around and looked at me. Her eyes narrowed. "How did you know about that?"

I stuttered. "I-you didn't answer my question."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, you don't answer any of mine. You don't even say hi to me."

I tried to fine a way to remedy the situation. "Hi?" I said.

She sputtered out a laugh. That was an improvement. "How did you do that to the van?"

I searched my memory for a plausible explanation. "I had an adrenaline rush. It's very common. You can Google it."

"I know what an adrenaline rush is, smartass. I also know that all the adrenaline in the world won't make you strong enough to crush metal with your bare hands."

She had me there. "Look," I said. "I'm sorry that I'm being rude all the time. I just think it's for the best-"

"Bella!" Jessica Stanley interrupted my apology. "Guess who just asked me to the dance?" She looked over her shoulder toward me. She realized that we had been talking, but her own selfishness overrode her friend's desires.

She _did _want to talk to me. Bella had every right to ignore me. On some level, I wanted her to.

I went on ahead, allowing the girl to blabber on about her date.

-

Bella's POV

I exited the building only to come face-to-face with a worm dangling on a stick. "Look, Bella, it's a worm," Eric said, laughing.

God, grow up! You're eighteen already!

I heard the soft footsteps of Edward behind me and I paused. "Bella?" he asked. I noted his expression was almost pained. "We shouldn't be friends." I forced myself not to think about how badly that hurt. I really wished that Tyler had been absent that day. It was mostly his fault that Edward knew about me, and vice versa.

"You really should have figured that out a lot earlier. You would have saved yourself all this regret." I realized I was being unreasonable. Edward wasn't to blame for all of it. I held my own share of the blame. Maybe, if I had told him a little earlier, in a more delicate situation, things would have worked out.

I looked at his face. He looked angry and confused at the same time. "I don't regret anything about you, Bella."

Did he notice that my heart skipped a beat each time he said my name? Damn hormones.

"Hi," a cheerful voice beside me piped up. I turned and saw that it was Alice. Jeez, didn't these people make any noise? "Will you be riding with us?"

"No," Edward said, rather rudely. "Our bus is full." They climbed in and shut the door behind them.

-

"Renee called again." Charlie finished the last of his dinner and I reached for his plate.

I sighed. "Well, it's your own fault. You're the one who told her about the almost-accident."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right." I put his dish in the sink and ran the hot water over it.

"She's different, happier. Phil sounds like a nice guy." Oh, please tell me you're not digging around for information on your ex.

"Yeah, Phil's great. He didn't have any problems with Renee taking me in." I blew my hair out of my face and left for my bedroom. Awkward conversations were becoming a bad habit.

-

I dropped my bag on the floor of the cafeteria.

Eric, being his usual esoteric self, said, "Hey, La Push, baby; you in?"

I heaved a sigh. "I don't know what that is."

And if you call me baby one more time, I'll carve that word onto your forehead.

"La Push beach down at the Quileute reservation. We're all going tomorrow after school," Mike explained.

Eric chose that moment to stand up and act like an idiot. "And I don't just surf the internet."

"Eric, you stood up once, and it was a foam board," Jessica said.

Jess, you're my new best friend.

"But, there's whale-watching too. Come with us," Angela begged.

I took a bite of my chocolate bar and shrugged.

"La Push, baby. It's La Push," Eric said.

I rolled my eyes. "I will; if you stop saying that, and if you stop calling me baby."

I walked over to the salad bar in the middle of the cafeteria, smirking as I heard Mike call Eric "creepy."

In a true show of obsessive-compulsive disorder, I organized my salad by vegetable. Renee said I had an obsession with making things even. I thought it had more to do with making things look nice.

"Edible art?" a voice asked. My hand shot out and my apple rolled off the table. It landed on Edward Cullen's shoe and bounced into his hands. That was freaky. That was also the first time I could remember someone sneaking up on me. "Bella," he said, giving me a crooked smile.

"Thanks," I said, shifting my eyes away from him. "You know, your mood swings are kind of giving me whiplash."

He followed me around as I gathered up something else to eat. "I only said that it would be better if we weren't friends, not that I didn't want to be."

I thought about that. I thought about my instincts reeling when I sat next to him for the first time. I remembered his shifting eye-colour and the predatory way he walked.

Predatory?

Yes, that was it. He walked like a silent lion creeping up on a gazelle.

"Because you're dangerous?" I guessed.

He froze.

"It's no big secret. I knew you were dangerous the moment I sat down. I could smell it."

"Then why didn't you leave?" he asked, his eyebrows drawing together as he tried to puzzle out where I was going.

I shrugged. "You were nice to me. If I judged everyone by how they smelled, I would've left civilization a _long_ time ago." I chuckled as I remembered wanting to do that so many times. "Do you want to hang out?" I asked out of the blue.

He smiled reflexively. "What?"

"Some kids and I are going to the beach." I hoped he hadn't noticed that I didn't group myself in with "the kids". "You should come. You know, have fun."

He honestly looked like he was considering it. "Which beach?" he asked.

"La Push," I answered.

He shook his head and suddenly looked very uncomfortable. "I don't know."

"Is there something wrong with that beach?" I asked. His discomfort had to have a reason, didn't it?

He looked back at Alice, and I could have sworn something passed between them. "It's just a little crowded."

-

_It's just a little crowded._

Yeah, and I'm Grace Kelly.

La Push was _not _crowded. It was _not _warm, and the only thing that made it a beach was the fact that it boarded on an ocean, a very cold ocean. I didn't have trouble dealing with extreme temperatures, but I still wanted my beaches to be _sunny._

It wasn't just me, either. I could hear the boys complaining as they strapped on their wetsuits to go surfing. I would have joined in, but I wasn't in the mood.

"So, I keep thinking that Eric's going to ask me to the dance, and he just…doesn't." Angela was the only person I felt close to in the group of kids I hung out with, but even she couldn't resist talking about boys.

"Why don't you ask him? You're a strong, independent woman." If there was one thing I enjoyed about living forever, it was being around for the day that women weren't second-class citizens.

"I am?" Angela asked, sounding anything but.

"Yes," I said, determined not to let her feel worse.

Jessica walked over to us. "Hey, Ang, can you do me up?" she asked, turning around so that Angela could help her with her zipper.

My head whipped around to the left. I smelled something. The scent was like wood and freshly cut grass. It was kind of nice.

"Bella!" I'd know that voice anywhere. Jacob and two other Quileute boys walked over to us.

I gave him a real smile. "Hey, Jacob." I turned to Jessica and Angela. "Guys, this is Jacob."

They greeted him a little too eagerly. I'd have to remind them that he was only sixteen, although… I looked him up and down. He didn't look sixteen anymore. He had actually grown at least another inch in less than a week. That wasn't possible. Maybe it was just his shoes or something.

"What, are you stalking me?" I asked as he sat down next to me inside the van.

He laughed. "You're on my res, remember? Are you surfin'?"

I shook my head. "I'm not in the mood."

"You guys should keep Bella company," Jessica said. "Her date bailed."

The reaction to that was almost comical. "What date?" Eric asked, looking desperate. Mike turned around and stared at me.

Jessica laughed. "She invited Edward Cullen."

I shrugged. "To be polite."

"I think it's nice that she invited him. No one else ever does." That was exactly why I got along better with Angela. She was nice.

"Yeah, cause Cullen's a freak," Mike said.

"You got that right," the older Quileute boy agreed, laughing.

Yes, I had to admit; finding a charming, intelligent gentleman in Forks was definitely a rare occurrence.

God, I'm such an idiot.

"You guys know him?" I asked.

The older Quileute boy answered me. "The Cullens don't come here."

What did he mean by that?

-

I managed to get Jacob alone. In all the years I've spent in high school, I've learned that boys acted different when their friends weren't around, especially when they had a crush on you.

"What did your friends mean by, "the Cullens don't come here"?" I asked.

Jacob looked uncomfortable, which meant I would have to do a little more prodding.

"You caught that, huh? I'm not really supposed to say anything."

"I can keep a secret." That was true.

He laughed. "Really, it's more like an old scary story."

I leaned in closer. "I like scary stories." I tried to make my voice sound vaguely sexy, but I wasn't sure I pulled it off.

Luckily, my inept flirting work. "Okay, um, did you know Quileutes are supposedly descended from…_wolves_?"

"What?" I asked, my face wrinkling up in confusion. What did that have to do with Edward? "Wolves, like _real_ wolves?"

"That's the legend of our tribe," he said, sounding a little embarrassed.

"Okay, so what's the story about the Cullens?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "Well, they're supposedly descended from this like, enemy clan. My great-grandfather, the chief, found them hunting on our land, but they claimed to be something different so, we made a treaty with them. If they promised to stay off Quileute land, then we wouldn't expose what they really were to the pale-faces." He grinned at me.

"I thought they just moved here."

He tilted his head back and forth, as if he were considering that. "Or, just moved back."

A scream made us jump. A boy chased a girl down the beach with a snake in his hands.

"Well, what are they really?" I had to know.

He laughed. "It's just a story, Bella. Come one, let's go."

-

Bella is getting so close to figuring it out. Edward doesn't have a clue what she is, though.

Sorry if I'm staying so close to the movie. I'm not going to use New Moon as a reference, so you won't have to deal with an anguished Bella; after all, she doesn't smell like food to a vampire, so Jasper isn't going to freak out if she cuts her finger.

Adieu faithful readers.


	6. Chapter 6

Wolverine

There's only twelve more days until New Moon comes out! I was thinking of taking my grandma to see it. I'm sorry that Wolverine so close to the movie right now. Obviously, things are going to change in the future.

-

"_Like Ben Franklin said, bub...only two things certain in life...an' this ain't taxes."_

-

Bella's POV

I love the internet. Before that, I had to gather info by looking through thousands of books. Now, all I have to do is type in a few words into the search engine online, and I can find anything.

That night, I'd located a book on Quileute legends. That morning, the sun came out. That day, the Cullens didn't come to school.

I took a seat on one of the benches and looked everywhere for them, surveying the teenagers in t-shirts and shorts.

"He's not here," Jessica said. She sat down on top of the table. She tilted her head back, soaking up the sun. "Whenever the weather's nice, the Cullens disappear."

That was weird. Edward didn't strike me as the skipping type. "What, do they just ditch?"

"Nah, Doctor and Mrs. Cullen yank them out for like, hiking and camping and stuff. I tried that on my parents. They said 'not a chance in hell.'"

Angela ran up to us. "Guys! I'm going to the dance with Eric. I just asked him, I took control." She smiled and sat down on the bench next to me. To my surprise, she reached over and hugged me. I didn't really do the whole touchy-feely thing, but I guess I could make an exception. "Are you sure you have to go out of town?" she asked, sounding miserable.

"Yeah, I really miss Renee." Honestly, I might go to Jacksonville for real. I _did _miss Renee.

"You know, we should go dress shopping," Jessica said. "My wardrobe is seriously lacking."

The bell rang. "Port Angeles?" I asked. She nodded. "Do you mind if I come?" I could pick up the book of Quileute legends while I was there.

"Yeah," Angela said, as if it should have been obvious. "I need your opinion."

We headed into class.

-

Edward's POV

I lurked in the trees, a safe distance away from Bella's attentive eyes. Jessica confirmed my suspicion that she was looking for me.

Port Angeles.

I needed to follow her. I knew I couldn't come out in the daylight, but perhaps, if she were still in town, I could ask her to dinner after the sun went down.

Of course, she would notice when I didn't order anything. I didn't relish the thought of stuffing human food into my mouth just to put off her suspicions, but it would be worth an hour alone with her.

The house was empty when I returned home. I saw a sticky note on the fridge.

_Football at the Rainier field-c'mon! Please?_

I found a pen and wrote _sorry_ underneath. The teams were even without me anyway.

I sat down at my piano. I began to play the notes that had formed in my head. I was still working on it when the others came home.

_Edward is playing again! What a lovely tune._

Esme's squealing thoughts made me feel guilty. I hadn't touched my piano in such a long time; I'd forgotten how much Esme enjoyed it.

_Edward is composing again?_

Rosalie's less than kind thoughts slipped.

My hands paused and I laughed loudly. I slammed a hand over my mouth to stop myself, but the damage was done. Rosalie growled at me, threatening me mentally with torture.

Of course Rosalie didn't like Bella. Rosalie was used to attention from men. When she realized that I didn't care for her, she reasoned that I probably would never care for anyone else. My behaviour as of late had shaken that resolve. The affection I felt for Bella was making her…jealous.

She left the room as I once again laughed.

"Edward is going to ask Bella out!" Alice sang. She skipped to my side. "She likes Italian food by the way."

Annoying as she was, my sister was also very helpful.

I checked the clock and realized that school had let out. If I was planning to follow them, I would have to leave right then.

I stood up. "I'll be back soon."

_Be careful. The sun isn't going to set for another two hours._

"Don't worry."

I got into my car and headed for Port Angeles, staying in the shadows.

-

Bella's POV

After going through about ten dresses, Jessica and Angela finally found suitable ones for the Spring Dance. I managed to escape them in time to find the bookstore with the book I'd researched.

I promised to meet them for lunch in half an hour, so I began to head for "La Bella Italia." That was cool. I liked Italian food.

It was dark when I exited the bookstore. My instincts alerted me that I was being watched and I searched the darkness for the cause. My eyes picked out every crack in the cement, but they couldn't locate anything dangerous. I decided to just go to the restaurant. I hurried down the stairs in front of the store when I heard something. My head whipped around and I spotted two figures. They were young, male; not altogether a danger to me, but to a weak, human girl, they were very dangerous.

I began to walk the other way when I saw two more boys coming towards me.

"Hey, hey, where you going?"

One of the boys behind me whistled loudly.

"Why don't you hang out with us?"

"C'mon, you wanna play?"

I growled. "You boys have guts, too bad they're gonna be all over the floor. Now get outta here before you really piss me off!"

They laughed and one of them pulled out a knife. "I like 'em when they're feisty." He had a red baseball cap.

He swung the knife at me and I ducked. He took another swing and missed again. A boy with long hair grabbed onto my arms to hold me still. "C'mon, let her fight. I'll cut her up good," Baseball cap said.

The guy behind me let go, and I got mad. I growled loudly and crouched. My knuckles began to burn and I felt the claws that rested in my forearms push out. They were seven inches long and white like bone, and they were very sharp. The streetlight above made them shine. "I've got no mercy for low-lifes who would cut down a person they think is unarmed. Anybody here want to try me now?"

I held up my claws and smiled as the boys began to back away. The guy with the knife tried to take another swing but I grabbed the knife and twisted his arm. My right knee shot up into his family jewels and he collapsed to the ground, writhing in pain.

I heard the squealing of tires and twisted around. None other than Edward Cullen jumped out of his shiny Volvo. "Get in the car," he said. He sounded dangerous.

I gave the guy on the ground a swift kick in the ribs and told him, "You'll recover. But if you have kids, they'll be stupid." I sheathed my claws and climbed into Edward's car. He climbed in next to me and we squealed out of the parking lot.

Edward gracefully pulled into traffic and adjusted his speed. "I should go back there and rip those guys' heads off."

Now, I didn't have anything against that, but I figured Edward really didn't want to look like a monster in front of me. Call it a hunch.

"Don't worry, I took care of it. They didn't stand a chance."

"You don't know the vile, repulsive things they were thinking," he argued.

"And you do?" Could he know something like that? It wouldn't surprise me.

He risked a glance at my hands, searching for my claws. "How did you do that?" he asked, obviously trying to deflect the conversation away from his own weirdness.

I held up my hands. "I was eleven when they first came out. It was after my dad shot my mom." I ducked my head. "My dad didn't go to jail. I killed him. Sorry I lied."

He took a deep breath. "That's understandable. I'm just glad you have them. You seem to get into trouble all the time."

I threw my head back and laughed. "Yeah, that's true."

We arrived at the restaurant just in time to see Angela and Jessica leaving. I tried to remember if I'd told him where they were. I hadn't.

"Where were you?" Angela asked.

"We waited, but we were starving…" Jessica's eyes drifted over to my left.

Edward walked over to us looking repentant. "I'm sorry I kept Bella from dinner. We just ran into each other and got talking."

The girls gave him equally giddy grins. "No, it's no problem. That happens right?" Jessica said.

"We-" Angela started, stepping on Jessica's foot.

Jess jumped. "We were just leaving," she announced.

Edward touched my shoulder. "I think I should get Bella something to eat, if you'd like."

"That's so thoughtful," Angela said.

"I'll drive you home myself," he told me. I could see the pleading look in his eyes. He didn't want to be alone.

"That's really thoughtful," Jessica agreed.

Edward smiled at me. "Yeah, I should eat something." How could I deny him anything?

Jessica grinned at me. "See you tomorrow." I could almost hear her thinking about all the gossip she would spread. I cringed internally.

"See ya," Angela said. Her expression was much more innocent.

I smiled. "Ya, I'll see you." Edward and I headed inside as they scurried off, giggling. "Oh, boy. I'll never hear the end of this." Edward smiled at me. It sent my heart fluttering and I tried to control the reaction.

-

An overly attentive waitress quickly seated us. "One mushroom ravioli," she said, setting down my order. She looked over at Edward and smiled flirtatiously, "Isn't there _anything _I can get for you?"

"How about a barf bag?" I asked under my breath. Edward snickered and shook his head.

"No thank you." He snickered again and the confused waitress left.

I smiled. "It wasn't _that _funny."

He pressed his lips together. His attempt was rather pathetic. I giggled. "Are you sure you're not going to eat?"

He shook his head and smiled again. "I'm on a _special _diet," he explained. What did _that _mean?

I decided to be upfront. He already knew most of my secret. "You've gotta give me some answers."

He rolled his eyes. "Yes, no, to get to the other side, uh, 1.77245-"

"I don't want to know what the square root of pi is." I bit my lip.

He gave me a measuring look. "You knew that?"

"How did you know where I was?" I asked. I thought that was a reasonable request.

"I didn't," he answered.

I grabbed my bag. "Alright." I started to stand. If he wasn't going to talk to me, I would just run home.

"Wait! Don't leave, please." He looked down. I sat back down. He did ask nicely.

"Did you follow me?"

He leaned in, whispering, "I feel very…protective of you."

"So you followed me?"

"I was trying to keep a distance unless you needed my help." I snorted quietly. He ignored that. "And then, I heard what those _low-lifes_ were thinking-"

"Wait." I leaned in closer to him. "You heard what they were thinking?" Tell me, Edward. You can trust me. He let out a breath and didn't answer. "So what, you read minds?"

He looked back up at me and I noticed that his eyes were bright gold again. "I can read every mind in this room, apart from yours." He looked around the room, listing all the thoughts of the people around us, until he got to me. "With you, there's nothing. It's very frustrating."

Well, _that's _a relief…I think.

"Is there something wrong with me? I mean…something _else_ that's wrong with me?"

He laughed. "See, I tell you I can read minds, and you think there's something wrong with _you."_

Oh, yeah, I could see the irony.

He sighed and looked away.

"What is it?"

He looked back into my eyes and I felt my breath catch. "I don't have the strength to stay away from you anymore." The guilt and pain in his eyes made me want to hug him. God, I was such a pushover.

"You don't," I told him. He didn't answer.

-

Edward's car wasn't nearly as bad as I'd thought. The seats were comfortable and the heater was working. Edward liked to drive fast, which was fine by me.

Suddenly, I heard sirens. I wondered if someone was hurt. "What's going on?" I asked him. I spotted Charlie's cruiser. "Charlie's here, can you pull in?" He did so.

"That's my father's car," he said. "What is he doing here?"

We climbed out of his car. I spotted Doctor Cullen exiting the building. "Carlisle, what's going on?"

Carlisle? What kind of name was that?

Carlisle looked upset. "Waylon Forges was found in a boat up near his place. I just exhumed the body."

Waylon…Waylon. Wasn't he Charlie's friend? "He's dead?" I asked. Carlisle nodded. "How?"

"Animal attack," he responded. He looked meaningfully over at Edward and I realized he was telling him something via telepathy. He was lying.

I tried to sound innocent. "Was it the same one that got that security guard down in Mason County?" Is it the same thing whose scent makes my hair stand on end?

"Most likely," Carlisle responded. He looked down.

"It's getting closer to town." My hands clenched into fists. I didn't want that thing anywhere near Charlie.

"Bella." Carlisle placed a hand on my shoulder. "You should go inside. Waylon was Charlie's friend."

"Okay." I could take a hint. I turned around. "I'll see you later."

I found Charlie sitting alone at his desk. "Hey."

"Hey," he responded. He picked up a picture of Waylon and stared at it.

"I'm really sorry, Charlie."

"I've known him for thirty years." His haunted eyes reminded me of the people who had lost their family in combat. I put a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, we're going to find this thing," he promised.

I hope you don't.

"In the meantime," He pulled out a small bottle of pepper spray. "I want you to carry this thing."

I didn't need it, but if it gave Charlie some peace of mind. "Okay." I took it and stuffed it into my pocket.

"Let's go home." We headed outside. I climbed down the stairs and spotted Waylon's body…or more like smelled it. He hadn't begun to decompose, which meant the attack was recent. My eyes went to his fingernails. There was no sign of any skin underneath. He didn't fight back…or he couldn't. The smell hit my nose again and I realized there were three distinct scents. They smelled like Edward and the rest of his family.

My mind flashed back to Edward's lack of appetite. In fact, I'd never seen him or Alice eat anything. If they didn't eat human food…what did they eat? I forced myself not to look at Waylon any longer.

-

In my room, I sat at my desk and pulled out my book. I searched for the legend that Jacob had told me, looking for more details.

There.

The Cold Ones. Undead. The speed. Strength. Cold-skinned. Immortal. Drank blood.

Oh my god. Edward Cullen is a vampire.

-

Ha! She knows! I hope you enjoyed Bella kicking some ass. I took a few of her quotes from the Wolverine comic books. Next chapter will be up by tomorrow, I think.

Adieu faithful readers.


	7. Chapter 7

Wolverine

I'm writing this at 4:00 a.m. My stupid internal alarm wouldn't let me go back to sleep. I've been up since 1:00 and I have to go to school soon.

I'm sorry about the error from the last chapter. Some people pointed it out to me. I meant to say _examined _not _exhumed._ I must have misheard it in the movie.

I've been thinking about adding another chapter to my Darkward one-shot. If I do, the updates for this story might come a day or two late. I hope you don't mind.

-

_By all I hold holy, I swear... I'm gonna bring this flamin' country down!_

-

Edward's POV

I spotted Bella before she saw me, and I knew that something was different. She saw me and walked towards me, a pensive look on her face. She brushed by my left shoulder and headed into the woods near the school. She wanted to talk in private. I followed her.

We walked for almost twenty minutes before she stopped. "You're impossibly fast, and strong. Your skin is pale white and ice cold. Your eyes change colour, and sometimes you speak…like you're from a different time. You never eat or drink anything. You don't go out in the sunlight." I approached her slowly, trying not to frighten her. "How old are you?"

She knew.

"Seventeen," I answered, defeated.

"How long have you been seventeen?"

I couldn't say it. "A while," I answered.

She began to pant. I heard her heartbeat race. I wanted to comfort her, but I doubted she could find any peace with me. "I know what you are."

I needed to hear her. I needed her to tell me what she knew. "Say it…out loud. Say it," I ordered.

She took a deep breath. "Vampire." The word made her voice shake.

"Are you afraid?" Please be afraid. Please leave. Go home before I hurt you.

"No," she answered.

She turned around, stared at me, and I knew she was lying. "Then ask me the most basic question; what do we eat?"

She touched my face. I felt the electricity from before shoot through me. "You won't hurt me." I grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "Where are we going?" I detected a note of panic in her voice.

"Up the mountain," I told her. "Out of the cloud bank. You need to see what I look like in the sunlight." I went to pull her up onto my back, but she shook my hand off and began to run ahead of me. She was very fast. I followed her. We reached a meadow I'd located several months earlier, and she stopped.

I walked ahead. I began to undo the buttons on my shirt. "This is why we don't show ourselves in sunlight. People would know that we're different." I felt the heat of the sun's ray on my face and I slowly turned around to face her.

I couldn't fathom what she thought when she saw me. Her face was a mixture of awe and curiosity. The fear from earlier was gone.

She stepped closer to me. "It's like diamonds," she said, looking at my bare chest and up to my face. "You're beautiful."

"Beautiful?" I scoffed. Agony masked my face as I waited for the fear to come back. "This is the skin of a killer, Bella." I turned away, doing up my shirt in the process. I stepped out of the damnable sunlight and back into the darkness where I belong. I heard her follow me. "I'm designed to kill, Bella."

"I don't care." She smiled at me. What was she thinking?

"I've killed people before."

"So have I. I killed my father and not just him either." She took a deep breath. "I'm older than I look, Edward. I was born over a hundred years ago."

What?

"I enlisted in the army near the end of World War I. I cut my hair and pretended to be a boy. On September 21, 1918, a German soldier shot me in the heart and I died. I healed myself after a few minutes. Ever since then, I've been stuck like this." She indicated to her teenaged body. "I've been alone for a really long time, Edward." She reached up and played with the Dog Tags around her neck.

"You don't want to be with me, Bella." I had to make her see that.

Her eyes narrowed. "Don't tell me what to do. I trust you."

I reached up and touched her face. "Don't."

She leaned in closer to me. "I'm here. I trust you." She reached around behind my neck and tried to pull my face to hers.

No.

I pulled myself away from her grasp. Her eyes betrayed the hurt she felt. "My family, we're different from the others. We only hunt animals. We call ourselves vegetarians. It's our little inside joke." Her lips narrowed into a thin line. I stepped closer to her. "I can't read your mind. Please tell me what you're thinking."

"I'm not afraid of you. I'm only afraid of losing you." She brought her hand up to my face and leaned in again. That time, I didn't back away. She pressed her warm lips against my own frozen ones and it felt like my own dead heart fluttered. Her hand wrapped around my neck and dug into my hair, tugging on it gently. She pulled away far too soon for my liking. She grinned. "As far as first kisses go, I'd say that was pretty good."

I smiled back. I hadn't dared hope that she would accept me.

She tugged on my arm. I followed her as she pulled me into the middle of the meadow again. The clouds had rolled in. She sat down, pulling me with her. "Why is the Moon so lonely?" she asked.

I stared at her, not comprehending. "I don't know. Why?"

"Because she used to have a lover." She rolled on top of me, pinning me down with strength that didn't match up to her tiny body.

I realized I was still grinning like an idiot, but I couldn't help it. "Oh, really?" I asked playfully.

"Yep. His name was Kuekuatsu and they lived in the spirit world together."

"Oh, so this is a _true_ story." I brought a hand up to stroke her face. She laughed.

"Mm-hm. And every night, they would wander the skies together. But, one of the other spirits was jealous. Trickster wanted the Moon for himself. So he told Kuekuatsu that the Moon had asked for flowers; he told him to come to our world and pick her some wild roses. But Kuekuatsu didn't know that once you leave the spirit world, you can never go back. And every night, he looks up in the sky and sees the Moon and howls her name. But... he can never touch her again." Her voice was soft and melodic. "Kuekuatsu means 'the wolverine'." She touched her Dog Tags and spun them around. She had carved "Wolverine" into the metal of one of them.

"One of the soldiers from the WWI called me that after I took out over three dozen soldiers with my bare hands. He said I tore into them like a wolverine." Her eyes became distant and she stopped smiling.

I ran my hand over her hair. "It's alright."

Her eyes refocused. The sun chose that moment to appear. The light reflected off my skin again. Bella giggled and traced my jaw. "Vampires who sparkle; you _have _to be kidding me."

-

We continued hiking throughout the day. Bella asked me every question she could think of about vampires, and I asked about her. She told me that she had always been in pain as a child. Her mother had done what she could to help her, but her father had been cruel.

She didn't regret killing him.

She had never been in love. She didn't like to get close to people because she always had to leave after a few years.

"Was it other vampires that killed Waylon?" she asked me.

"Yeah," I answered. "There are others out there. We've run into them from time to time."

"Can the rest of your family read minds?"

I looked down. "No, that's just me. But, Alice can see the future, and Jasper can sense and control emotions."

"Cool." She grinned at me.

I snorted. "It gets irritating." I looked at her. "Can I pick you up for school tomorrow?"

She grimaced. "This isn't about my bike again, is it?"

I laughed. "Not at all. I just wanted to have more time to speak with you."

She smiled. "In that case, I would love it if you picked me up."

I grinned and pulled her to her feet. "School's out. I need to go home and talk to my family."

She sighed. "Alright, but remember to get to my house on time or I _will_ drive my motorcycle over the roof of that shiny car of yours."

-

"Kuekuatsu, Wolverine, Kuekuatsu, Wolverine." I laughed as I raced up the driveway of my home. The whole family was inside the house. That was somewhat unusual. I remembered that I hadn't been home since the day before. My promise to be back soon had been broken when I tracked down those low-lifes and deposited them at the nearest police department. I'd spent the rest of the night outside Bella's window.

"What's he going on about?" Emmett asked. I saw Alice grin through his mind as I entered the living room. Esme and Carlisle were standing near the stairway. Alice, Rosalie and Emmett were on the couch, and Jasper sat in the only lounge chair.

"Sorry I stayed out so late. I was busy."

Alice waved a hand at me. "Don't worry, I told them what happened. She sure knows how to take care of herself, doesn't she?" she replied. I heard the confused thoughts of the rest of the family. Even Rosalie wondered why I seemed so happy. "When are you going to invite her over?" Alice asked.

I frowned, my good mood diminishing somewhat.

"We'll be on our _best _behaviour," Esme told me. She gave Rosalie a stern look as she said that.

"Is it true that she has claws? Like _real _claws?" That was Emmett, of course.

I sighed. "They certainly looked real. They also looked sharp." My enthusiasm began to build up again. I saw Jasper eyeing me with confusion.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked.

I grinned at him. "She's immortal."

Understandably, the room gasped in synchrony, except for Alice, of course.

Carlisle stepped toward me, holding up a hand to silence the others. "What do you mean, she's immortal?"

"She's over a hundred years old. She's been stuck in a seventeen-year-old body ever since the end of WWI. She told me that she stopped aging after she was shot in the heart. You saw how fast she healed earlier, only that time; it must have triggered something that permanently halted her aging. It explains so much about her too. She certainly doesn't act like a teenager."

Rosalie spoke, "You mean, she's like us, only more human?"

I remembered the way those strange bonelike claws had shined under the streetlight, or the way she'd run up ahead of me to the meadow. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that she's human. I'm not sure that there's a name for what she is."

Alice bounced off the couch and over to me. "Yes, yes, that's all very interesting, but when is she coming over?"

I thought about that. Rosalie seemed a little more in control of herself. I could count on Alice and my parents to back me up. "I need just a couple of days, then I'll ask if she wants another chance to meet you."

-

Bella's POV

I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

"Oh. My. God." I heard Angela exclaim as Edward drove us into the parking lot. I missed my motorcycle, but Edward was worth it.

He opened the car door for me like a good old-fashioned gentlemen and I stepped out, smiling. He had on a pair of sunglasses. They made him look kind of sexy. I giggled. He looked down at me and smiled.

I leaned closer to him. "You know, everybody's staring."

He searched the dozens of faces around us and pointed to the left. "Not that guy. Wait, he just looked." I laughed.

"Why don't we give them something to look at?" I leaned up and kissed him, reminding myself that we were in public. The resulting gasps and chatter were well worth it.

-

Edward jumped down from his perch on the tree outside my window and landed silently next to me. I finished applying the last coat of wax onto my motorcycle and turned to scold him. "Can you at lease _act _human? I have neighbours, you know."

"I'm gonna take you to my place tomorrow," he said.

Did I mishear him?

I held up my hands. "Wait, like with your family?"

"Yeah." He leaned down to me. "Don't worry, they've promised to be on their best behaviour."

"What if they don't like me? I mean, the last time most of them saw me, I was seriously ticked-off, and I know from experience that I'm not the most pleasant person to be around."

He laughed. "So you're worried, not because you'll be in a house full of vampires, but that you think those vampires won't approve of you?"

I crossed my arms, glowering at him. "This may shock you, but I have terrible image issues. I also know that first impressions are important, and I've already blown that."

He brought a hand up to my face. "Don't worry, they'll love you." His peaceful expression shifted to one of anxiety and he looked down the street.

"What's wrong?" I asked, sensing his distress.

He narrowed his eyes. "Just a small complication. I'll pick you up tomorrow." He walked over to his Volvo and raced off.

Billy Black and Jacob rolled up in their behemoth of a truck. Jacob jumped out and grabbed Billy's wheelchair. He helped his father climb in and rolled him up the driveway toward me.

"Aw, did you guys come to visit me?" I asked.

"Actually, we came to visit your flat screen," Billy corrected, smiling up at me. "It's the first Mariners game of the season." He tilted his head toward his son. "Plus Jacob here keeps bugging me about seeing you again."

Jacob looked away, embarrassed. "Great dad. Thanks."

"Just keepin' it real, son," Billy replied. I giggled.

Charlie's cruiser pulled up as well and Charlie headed over to us. He carried two six-packs. "Vitamin R," he said, holding up the beer.

"Well done, Chief," Billy replied in his usual light-hearted manner. He held up a brown paper bag. "Harry Clearwater's homemade fish fry."

Charlie smiled and set the six-packs onto Billy's lap, and grabbed onto the handles of his wheelchair. He began to push him inside the house. Jacob and I followed them.

"Any luck with that Waylon case?" Billy asked.

"Well, I don't think it was an animal that killed him."

"Never thought it was," Billy replied. His response made me pause. Billy was an elder down at the Quileute reservation. Was it possible that he believed the old stories?

Yes, it was.

"Just spread the word down at the res, keep the kids out of the woods," Charlie told him.

"Will do," Billy said. "Don't want no one else gettin' hurt, now do we?" He looked at me as he said that. I met his prying gaze with my own.

Oh, yes, he definitely knew something more than he was telling.

-

True to his word, Edward picked me up for my second official visit with the Cullen clan. Once again, he drove very fast and we made it to his place in record time.

I hadn't actually given it a good look the last time I was there. It was very large. There were windows everywhere as if it belonged to a house of sun-worshippers instead of a family of vampires.

Vampires. That still made me chuckle sometimes. Out of all the people I could fall in love with, I choose an undead teenager. Oh, well, it wasn't as if I could complain. We seemed to be perfect for each other.

He sped over to my door and pulled it open for me. I got out with some trepidation. The whole area smelled like vampires. Vegetarians, nonetheless, but still…

I took a deep breath and allowed Edward to lead me inside.

-

Yes, I am very tired right about now. Writing six pages a day at least is really impressive if I do say so myself. I love all the reviews and I hope I'm writing well enough to keep them coming.

I've decided that I will, in fact, write at least one more chapter in my story, "Talent Search." I can't publish it until after the voting is completed, so go onto Bronze's profile and vote for me…if you want. There's no pressure. I'd just like to know if people really like it.

Adieu faithful readers.


	8. Chapter 8

Wolverine

Does fan fiction have an error? All the stories I've seen have been centered. It's very difficult to read.

I am officially going to post another chapter to "Talent Search". Give me a couple weeks, and I'll have something up. I'm still thinking of what to write.

-

_"I'm Wolverine. I'm the best there is at what I do. I used t' be a secret agent. I used t' be a hero. Now, I'm drunk. An' __**lovin'**__ every minute of it!"_

-

Bella's POV

Edward opened the glass door and ushered me in. I looked around the front entrance, awestruck. I'd never seen anything so… "Bitchin'!" I laughed. There were plants and entire walls were made of glass to allow the sun in. Edward helped me pull off my coat, once again reminding me that we were the same age.

Well, Edward was eighty-five days older than I was, but that's only a 7344000-second difference.

"It's so bright in here," I exclaimed, spinning around for a full view.

"What did you expect?" Edward asked playfully. "Coffins and dungeons and moats."

"No…not the moats."

He smiled at me. "Not the moats," he repeated. We began to head up the stairs when he stopped in front of me and turned around. "This is the one place we don't have to hide." He looked up and grimaced. "I told them not to do this."

I cocked my head to the side and realized that I could hear the sound of a cooking show. I brought a hand up to my mouth to stifle a laugh.

"Is she even Italian?" I heard Rosalie ask someone.

"Her name is Bella," a male voice replied.

"I'm sure she'll love it no matter what," Carlisle replied.

I heard them all inhale. "Get a whiff of that," Rosalie said. I could feel myself start to blush.

"Man, she _does _smell weird."

Edward looked to the right as we reached the top of the stairs. "Shut up, Emmett, she _can _hear you, you know," he said, playfully.

I heard Emmett whisper, "Seriously?"

"Yeah," I said.

There was a short pause. "Cool," Emmett said. I heard a bang and could only assume that somebody had hit him. Edward chuckled. We stepped into one of the nicest kitchens I'd ever seen. The walls that weren't glass were a bright white that brightened the room up even more.

"Bella," a woman with caramel-coloured hair rushed up to greet me. "We're making Italiano for you."

"I can see that." I brought a hand up to my face and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear.

Edward chose that moment to be the gracious host. "Bella, this is Esme, my mother for all intents and purposes."

"How do you do?" I asked, giving her a little curtsy. She reminded me of the rich women whose husbands owned automobiles back when I was a little girl. The decorum my mother had tried to instil in me came back full force.

"Very good, thank you," she replied, looking meaningfully at Edward.

"You've given us a chance to use the kitchen for the first time," Carlisle told me enthusiastically.

"I hope you're hungry," Esme said.

I wasn't really, but it would be rude to say so. "Yeah, absolutely."

"She already ate," Edward told them.

Rosalie, who had been silent since I entered the room, suddenly made her presence known by crushing a glass bowl between her hands. She stepped away from the mess. "Perfect." Emmett walked over to her.

I frowned at her. "It's just that I know you guys to eat, so-"

"Of course," Esme said. She gave Rosalie a stern look. "That's very considerate of you."

"Just ignore Rosalie," Edward told me. "I do."

"So much for their best behaviour," I muttered, fully aware that everyone could hear. Then I felt guilty, because only Rosalie was being a pain.

I heard a creaking sound outside and smelled the rest of Edward's family. Alice stepped into view and bounced off a branch and into the kitchen. "Hi Bella," she said happily. She was wearing a pale purple dress. A blond man jumped down after her. He walked stiffly behind her with his hands behind his back.

Oh, crap. He reminded me of my company commander from WWII.

I saw him test the air, getting a whiff of my scent apparently, just before Alice hugged me.

Her scent made me want to run, but I held back. She wasn't going to hurt me. She let go, letting out an "oh" of surprise. "You do smell weird."

I snickered. "Thanks, so do you." The tension in the room seemed to ease. Alice giggled.

"Alice, what are you-" Edward started to ask.

"It's okay, Bella and I are going to be great friends." She gave me a beaming smile.

There was an uncomfortable silence before Carlisle cleared his throat. He gestured to the stiff blond man at Alice's side. "This is Jasper. He's our newest vegetarian."

I noticed that Jasper was sizing me up. I locked eyes with him and saw that his skin wasn't nearly as smooth as Edward or Alice's. His face was covered in pale scars. What could possibly do that to a vampire?

Instinctively, I straightened up. "You look like you've been through hell," I said.

The others shifted uncomfortably, but Jasper gave me a tight smile. "Hell or war; there isn't much difference."

I nodded. "Which war did you fight in, if you don't mind my asking?"

"The Civil War of 1867."

I tilted my head to the side as I mentally did the calculations. "Wow, that has to make you at least a hundred and sixty," I said in amazement.

"A hundred and sixty-three, actually," he corrected. "And you? Edward said you were in the army."

I turned to Edward, smirking at him. "Oh, did he now?" I shrugged and relaxed my pose. "I figured the army was better than living on the streets, so I joined when I was seventeen. I got shot the first week and ended up like this." I shrugged again. "After the depression hit, most people were desperate for work. I was too, so when WWII came around, I was first in line. Of course, by the time The Vietnam War came around, I was so sick of it that I went to college to get my nursing degree." I shot Edward an ironic smile. "I worked as a nurse over there for a few years."

"Okay, okay, enough shoptalk," Emmett interrupted. "Can we see your claws?" he asked eagerly.

"Emmett," Esme admonished. Rosalie smacked him. Edward rolled his eyes.

I thought about that. "I guess so." Emmett grinned at me. I extended my arms and pushed my claws out. The seven-inch blades gleamed in the pale light.

"Cool! Can I touch them?" Rosalie went to smack him again, but that time, he ducked.

I shrugged. "Go ahead, but be careful. They're very sharp."

Without the least bit of caution, Emmett ran one of his fingers under one of my claws. He drew his hand back quickly and held up his finger. "Wow, they are sharp." I could see that the top of his finger had severed nearly down to the bone. I could also see that his skin was growing back, a bit more slowly than mine did.

"I told you to be careful!" I scolded, retracting them back into my forearms.

"What? I'm fine. Hey, how strong are you?"

"Emmett," Edward growled.

Carlisle leaned forward. "Actually, I'm also interested in them. Is your entire skeleton like that?"

I turned my arms over and studied them. "Yeah, I'm pretty much indestructible. It hurt like hell when I was growing up though; like my bones were on fire."

"Okay, enough analysis," Edward said. He gave his family a stern look. "Do you want to see the rest of the house?" he asked.

"Definitely," I said. "See you guys later," I told the others.

"Great," Alice agreed.

Edward led me to another set of stairs. I heard Esme order someone, probably Rosalie, to clean up the mess. Colourful masks adorned the walls in the hallway. On another wall, I saw something strange. "Graduation hats?" I asked, confused.

"Yeah, it's a private joke." Edward said. "We matriculate a lot."

"No kidding," I agreed, estimating that there were over a hundred and twenty hats hanging up. "You've got a lot of inside jokes."

"Well," he said, leaning against the wall. "When you live with people for a few decades, you tend to adopt your own language."

"Must be nice," I said wistfully.

He grinned. "I guess. Come on," he instructed, leading me up the stairs. We stopped in front of a door. Edward shifted from side to side, looking nervous. "This is my room," he said, opening the door.

I stepped inside, my eyes widening with wonder. "This is like a whole apartment," I said. The room was painted white. The back wall was made of glass. There were piles of books and CDs on the shelves and on a white couch. I looked around again, realizing that something was missing. "Where's your bed?"

He shifted uncomfortably. "I don't sleep."

"Get outta here! Not at all?" He shook his head. "Then, what do you do all night?" A second later, I realized the most likely activity. I slammed my hands over my ears. "Ew! Don't tell me!" I heard several distant chuckles from the other vampires.

Edward brought a hand up to his mouth to hide his smile. I searched for something to distract me. My eyes were drawn to his CD collection. "Wow, you have so much music." I ran my fingers over the old familiar artists; Fred Astaire, Frank Sinatra, Marilyn Monroe, etc. "So, when are you going to ask me to the dance?"

Edward crossed his arms. "I thought you were going to Jacksonville that weekend," he said, smiling.

I snorted. "Look, just cause I don't want any of the three stooges drooling over me, doesn't mean I've gotta leave the state. Are you going to ask me, or do I have to live up to 21st century feminism and ask you?"

"I don't know," he said. His eyes danced with delight as he took my hand. "Can you dance?"

I stepped closer to him. "You do realize that "dance" is just a codeword teenagers use to convince their parents that they around going to be playing a nasty version of baseball don't you?" He laughed.

"Well, we aren't technically teenagers," he pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "I know a few different styles of dance. Can you tango?"

Edward spun me around. "I highly doubt they'll play a tango at a school dance."

I shrugged. "You never know."

He laughed. "Come back downstairs; I want to show you something." He raced out of the room at top speed. I followed as quickly as I could, jumping over the railing and landing softly next to a grand piano.

Edward sat down on the piano bench. His fingers ran over the keys delicately and he began to play. I stepped closer as the song continued. I put my hand on his shoulder and watched which notes he was hitting. "What's this song called?" I asked. I wasn't familiar with it.

"Bella's Lullaby," he answered, never stumbling over the notes.

I grinned. "You wrote a song for me?"

"Yes."

"That's so sweet." I sat down next to him and ran my fingers over the back of his neck. I leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes. "This is really beautiful. I haven't played in over a decade."

"You play?" Edward asked.

"Not as well as you, but I took a few lessons." I sighed in pleasure.

Edward's hands slowed as the song came to an end.

-

I met up with Charlie after school on Friday the 29th. He wanted us to have a family dinner at Forks' only restaurant. It had a log cabin feel to it.

I arrived late and found that he'd already ordered for me. The waitress set down our meals. I looked at her face and saw that she was sad and worried. "Chief?" she asked. "The boys want to know." I saw the four men behind her turn around to listen. "Did you find anything down by Crete's River today?"

Charlie looked over at the men and locked eyes with them. He sighed. "We found a bare, human footprint," he admitted. "But it looks like whoever that is, is headed east, so the County sheriff is gonna take care of it."

"Okay," the waitress said, trying to cover up her tears. "I just hope they catch him fast." She walked away. The men turned back to their friends and they began to talk. I tuned them out.

Charlie looked out the window. "Looks like your friends are flagging you."

I turned around and came face-to-face with Mike's ass. I almost choked on my fries. "Grow up already," I muttered.

"It's okay if you want to go join them," Charlie said.

I scoffed. "No thanks."

"It's Friday, Bella. You should go out. It looks like the Newton boy has a big smile for you."

"Yeah, he's a good buddy," I told him, hopefully destroying any assumptions he had about me and _Mike._

"What about these other yahoos in town? Anybody interested?"

"Oh, they're interested. It's just that I'm not interested in them." I stuffed some more fries in my mouth and hoped that Charlie got the picture.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I just feel like I leave you alone too much."

"I like being alone," I lied.

-

Back at home, I called Renee. "How's all the baseball stuff going?"

"Oh, Phil's working so hard," Renee cooed. "You know, spring training…a couple months early. We're looking for a house to rent in case things become more permanent. You'd like Jacksonville, baby," she said.

I flipped back onto my bed. "I'm kind of liking Forks," I told her.

Renee's breathing picked up as she became excited. "Is it that boy? What was his name?"

"Edward," I answered.

"How are things going with him? What is he? A jock? Is he smart? I'll bet he'd have to be to keep up with you," she rambled.

I heard a noise at my window and jumped. Edward sat down on my bed, obviously listening.

"Renee, c-can I talk to you later?"

"Come on, we've gotta talk boys. Are you being safe?" she asked. I did something I'd never done before. I hung up and turned off my phone. Hopefully, Renee would think it was her own technical error.

"How did you get in here?" I asked, although I could probably figure it out.

"The window," he answered, indicating with a tilt of his head.

I remembered the dreams I'd been having, and the feeling of being watched. "Do you do that a lot?"

"Just the past couple weeks," he told me. He laughed. "I like watching you sleep. It's kind of fascinating to me. You don't sleep as long as a normal human."

I flipped my hair back. "Do I strike you as normal?"

He chuckled, and then his face became more sombre. "Sometimes you have these really bad nightmares. You talk a lot about the wars."

My flippant expression turned blank. "Yeah. That stuff never really leaves you." I leaned forward and kissed him. I pulled back. "Let's not talk about it. I don't want this to turn into an after school special, or something." He grinned and kissed me back. A few seconds later, he pushed me down until I was flat on my bed. His lips trailed over my jaw and down to my neck. I began to breathe heavily and I wrapped my arms around his neck. His lips ran down below my collarbone and my eyes snapped open. "Whoa, whoa, whoa," I stuttered, pushing him away. I immediately felt like crap when I saw the hurt expression on his face. "Let's slow down for a minute," I insisted.

Edward, realizing that he was lying on top of me, jerked away. "I'm sorry, Bella. That was completely inappropriate of me."

I brushed my hand over his face. "It's alright." I blushed. "My mom drilled it into me to never get too close to someone, unless I was going to marry him. She only married my dad because she was pregnant with me."

Edward's eyes glazed over. I wondered if he was remembering his own life back in the early twentieth century. "Married," he breathed. He looked at me and gave me a distant smile.

I smiled back. "What?" I asked.

He brushed back a lock of my hair, still smiling. "Do you want to?"

"Do I want to what?" I asked, confused.

"Do you want to get married?"

I had the presence of mind to slam my hand over my mouth, effectively muffling my scream. I ducked my head, breathing through my nose. I listened as Charlie snorted in his sleep before resuming his snoring. Edward grinned at my reaction. I dropped my voice to a whisper. "Are you being serious?"

He nodded, still grinning.

I muffled another scream in my hand. "You had better not be messing with me, or I'll slice your frigging arm off," I threatened.

He laughed openly. "I just proposed to you, and you think it's a joke."

"Well you can't just…I mean I've only known you for…we're technically only teen…oh yes! Yes, I want to marry you!" I through my arms around him and he laughed.

"Alright, settle down, you're crushing me," he said. I immediately loosened my grip, but didn't let go.

"What should we tell people? Oh my God! What do I tell Charlie and Renee? They'll freak. I mean, I'm only eighteen to them. When should the wedding be? What kind of dress should I have? Who are my bridesmaids going to be? Do you think Alice will help me plan it?"

Edward pushed me away and held my face in his hands. "Calm down. We don't have to get married tomorrow. Maybe we should wait until we've graduated from high school…again."

"That's a good idea." I sat back on my knees and grinned like an idiot. "I'm getting married."

-

The fan fiction error is fixed, I guess. That's good; it was really hard to read when everything was centered like that.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Adieu faithful readers.


	9. Chapter 9

Wolverine

I'm sorry if this story is moving too fast. I'm basing off the movie now, so once I'm done that, it'll slow down. I still have months of stuff to go through.

-

"_I make him mad. But I figure that's okay... I wrote the book on mad."_

-

Bella's POV

"I have a date with Edward Cullen," I said. In retrospect, I probably should have waited until Charlie put his gun down.

"Isn't he a little old for you?" Charlie asked. He stopped cleaning the inside of his shotgun and turned to look at me.

"We're the same age, Charlie," I moaned, trying to sound like a regular teenager instead of an old lady.

"I thought you weren't interested in any of the boys in town."

"Edward doesn't live in town." That was true…sort of. Edward's house was definitely not down the street like everything else in Forks. I glanced behind me, hearing the sounds of Edward's impatience. He hadn't stopped grinning the whole morning. I couldn't decide if it was our impending engagement, or his eagerness to watch me play baseball.

I'm getting married.

I had to fight the grin that threatened to burst onto my face. "He's right outside."

"He is?" Charlie asked, looking pained.

"He wanted to meet you…officially."

Charlie sighed. "Alright," He snapped the barrel of the gun back into place. "Bring him in." He set the gun down onto the dining room table.

"Be nice," I warned. "He's important." I probably shouldn't go into detail about how important for at least six months, when I'll have legally graduated…again.

Charlie twirled a finger over his head, making the sign of a halo.

"Finally," I heard Edward mumble. I hushed him and let him inside.

"Chief Swan," he said respectfully. He was dressed in an unnecessary warm jacket. "I wanted to formally introduce myself. I'm Edward Cullen."

"Hi Edward," Charlie said, shaking his hand briefly. I noticed that he flinched ever so slightly when he touched him.

"Bella won't be out too late tonight. She's just going to play baseball with my family."

Charlie looked at me. "You never told me you played baseball." His words were almost accusing. I figured that Edward's charm hadn't worked on him as well as he was used to, because Edward shifted uncomfortably.

I shrugged. "Phil taught me. I'm not really that good, though." I pleaded mentally with him to shut up.

Charlie scratched behind his ear. "Well, good luck with that," he finally said.

"Don't worry Chief; I'll take good care of her." I led him out to the entranceway, only for Charlie to call me back.

"You still got that pepper spray?" he asked.

I heard Edward chuckling outside. "Yeah, but I'm not going to need it. I can take him." Edward's laughter cut off as he heard that.

I walked outside and Edward wrapped an arm around my waist. I brushed it off. "Easy, Tiger, you don't want the Chief to see you sexually assaulting me this early. And since when do vampires like baseball?" I asked, trying to change the subject.

"Well," Edward put a baseball cap on my head and tucked my hair behind my ears. "It's the American pastime. And, uh, there's a thunderstorm coming. It's the only time we can play."

-

The baseball field was surrounded by forest and waterfalls. The jeep Edward had borrowed from his brother was covered in mud by the time we reached the others. We jumped out and crossed the field to where Rosalie and Carlisle were fighting over who got to bat first. Rosalie won.

"Bella," Alice called. I had only half a second to take a breath before she crushed me in a hug. "This is going to be so much fun!" I was pretty sure she wasn't talking about the game. "Oh, fine. I won't tell anyone yet," she huffed. Her eyes flashed to my left hand and her face turned down into a grimace. She released me and glared at Edward.

He sighed heavily. "I'll get it later. Don't worry." I saw Emmett roll his eyes at their one-sided conversation, but figured that that was the norm in a house with a mind reader.

I had to fight to keep in another ridiculous scream. As it was, I couldn't stop smiling.

"I call Bella's team!" Emmett shouted. Edward scowled at him.

"Is that okay?" I asked Edward. "I mean," I continued. "I don't want to leave the other team at a disadvantage."

Edward snickered. "I thought you weren't very good at baseball." I rolled my eyes and didn't bother to dignify that with a response.

Emmett whooped loudly and he and Edward took off for the outfield. I followed and stood to the far right of them.

Alice took her place at the pitcher's mound and she smiled. "Time," she said in sync with a burst of thunder. Rosalie took a stance at home base with Esme behind her, ready to catch. She swung her whole body into her pitch, but amazingly, Rosalie's bat connected with it. The ball whooshed over Edward's head and he twisted around, running faster than I'd ever seen him.

"Has he got it?" I asked Emmett.

Edward's brother grinned. "Edward's the fastest, but I'm the strongest." I noticed Jasper absently twirling his own bat, staring blankly out at the field. True to Emmett's word, Edward threw the ball straight to Esme just as Rosalie slid into home base. Esme managed to tag her out. "Out! Whoop!" Emmett exclaimed.

Rosalie hissed at him and walked away.

"Babe, c'mon, it's just a game!" Emmett called.

"Nice kitty," Carlisle said, patting her on the back. I stifled a laugh. Carlisle stepped up to the plate. I couldn't remember my father ever playing baseball with me. Alice pitched a fastball. Carlisle swung and the ball whipped towards me. I jumped up only to smash into Emmett. We landed in a heap and the ball sped into the woods.

Edward sped toward me. "I'm okay," I said. I pulled myself to my feet. I grabbed Emmett's arm and tugged him up. "Smooth move, Ex-lax," I chastised him. Then I extended my middle claw and gave him my own version of "The Finger". Emmett laughed and sped into the woods to retrieve the ball. Edward brought a hand up to his face. "Don't," I ordered him, pointing at his face. I brushed off some dirt and leaves from my pants and snapped my head to the right. My neck cracked loudly and I touched it gingerly. Edward flinched.

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked.

I rolled my eyes. "Please, I used to get run over by a tank every other Tuesday. That was nothing."

Emmett rushed back out and threw the ball back to Alice. Jasper stepped up to the plate and twirled his bat before taking a stance. Alice pitched a curveball and he swung. The ball headed toward Emmett. He climbed a tree behind him in three leaps and caught the ball in midair. He threw it to Alice.

"My Monkey-Man," Rosalie murmured. I slammed a hand over my mouth to keep me from laughing.

Rosalie stepped up to the plate again and Alice threw the ball as hard as she could. Rosalie managed to hit it and the ball went spiralling into the woods. I spun around, intent on chasing after it, when I smelled something familiar. I growled as I recognized the scent.

Alice froze. Edward stared at her and then looked back at the woods. "Stop!" Alice cried.

Edward rushed to my side and pulled me toward home base. Everyone hurried toward Carlisle and Esme.

"They were leaving, but they heard us," Alice explained.

"Let's go," Edward said, heading for the jeep.

"It's too late," Carlisle told him.

Emmett grabbed his shoulder. "They probably won't even notice her. She doesn't smell like food or anything." Edward's jaw tightened but he didn't object any further.

Carlisle, Emmett and Jasper stood in front of us, intent on meeting the visitors head-on. I spotted the vampires as they appeared from out of the woods. There were three of them, two male and one female. The woman had vibrant red hair and was dressed in a fur coat knockoff. The male on the far left was blond and walked with a confident swagger. He wore a jacket that I faintly recognized as belonging to Waylon. I growled again, much softer than before at that. The leader was dark-skinned. His hair fell down past his shoulders. He wore a rather ugly orange jacket. Both males had jeans on. They were all barefoot.

Their eyes were red.

The three of them paused a short distance away from us. I saw the blond male sizing Jasper up. I could only imagine what his numerous scars made the vampires think. All I knew was that for almost every bite he'd received, a vampire had been killed by him.

We stepped forward in sync to greet them. The leader held up his right hand and I saw that he was holding the ball. "I believe this belongs to you," he said. I noted that his voice held a strong trace of a French accent. With a flick of his wrist, the ball landed in Carlisle's waiting palm.

"Thank you," Carlisle replied.

"I am Laurent, and this is Victoria and James." He indicated to the others. The woman nodded her head, but the other man gave no indication that he'd heard what the leader said.

"I'm Carlisle. This is my family."

"Hello." The two groups of vampires continued to stare each other down. I stayed next to Edward and tried to make my heart stop pounding.

"I'm afraid your hunting activities have caused something of a mess for us," Carlisle explained.

"Our apologies," Laurent said. "We didn't realize the territory had been claimed."

I noticed the blond male, James sniff the air. His eyes closed and he seemed to be thinking hard. He opened his eyes and looked past Carlisle, toward me. I met his gaze solidly.

"Yes, well, we maintain a permanent residence nearby." James's eyes flickered toward Carlisle as he spoke. Apparently, living somewhere permanently was an oddity for a vampire.

"Really?" Laurent exclaimed, looking toward James as if seeking some kind of confirmation. Something was up with them. Laurent was confident and friendly, but James seemed to be the more dangerous one. Why would he let another man take over?

Unless it was a farce.

My eyes narrowed at the two vampires. I wondered if Jasper knew what was going on. Surely, he would notice the abnormal behaviour from his experience in the military.

"Well, we won't be a problem anymore. We were just passing through."

"The humans were tracking us, but we led them east. You should be safe." The woman, Victoria, told us. She smiled and winked at us.

Carlisle nodded, looking a little disturbed. "Excellent."

"So," Laurent gave a little laugh. "Could you use three more players?" The others all looked to Carlisle, but my eyes stayed focussed on James. "Oh, come on; just one game," he pleaded.

Carlisle shifted uncomfortably, but smiled. "Sure, why not? A few of us were leaving. You can take their place. We'll bat first." Carlisle threw the ball toward Laurent, but Victoria's hand lashed out and caught it.

"I'm the one with the wicked curve ball," she explained, smirking.

"Oh, well I think we can handle that," Jasper said mockingly. Emmett jeered as they turned away. The others laughed. I felt a sudden eagerness and realized that Jasper was using his gift to prevent a fight.

Laurent and Victoria headed for the outfield, but James stayed put, still sniffing the air. Finally, Edward's murderous look made him back off and he began to turn away.

At that moment, the worst possible thing happened.

The wind picked up and blew my strange scent right into James's face. His eyes scrunched up as he sniffed more heavily, and then he growled. His eyes went to my hands and he crouched down, ready to spring. Edward pushed me behind him and growled menacingly. The rest of the family was at his side in less than a second. Esme wrapped an arm around me and held me still as Victoria and Laurent crouched down beside him, confused by his outburst but prepared to defend him. Victoria inhaled deeply and her lips pulled back, showing her sharp teeth.

"She smells like the man from Canada," Victoria growled to James. He nodded, still crouched.

Edward's shoulders tensed. I felt his desire to turn around and question me.

"The girl is with us," Carlisle said. He sounded dangerous. "I think it best if you leave." I could hear the threat in his words.

There was a small silence before Laurent spoke. "I can see the game is over. We'll go now." Laurent began to back up, but James and Victoria didn't move. "James," Laurent cautioned. James straightened up, but his eyes stayed narrowed on mine. He took a step back and reached for Victoria. He wrapped an arm around her as they left. I heard him whisper something in her ear.

"We'll deal with her later."

The others stiffened as they heard that. Once the other vampires were out of sight, Edward turned to me. "Bella?" He didn't need to ask. I already knew what he wanted to know.

"They probably ran into Victor, my grandfather." Edward sucked in a breath.

"There are others like you, Bella?" Carlisle asked. I could almost sense their feelings of betrayal. I couldn't stand it.

"It's not like that! I haven't seen him in decades. He and I don't really get along," I explained. "I was going to tell you later, but I didn't see the point. He's my mom's dad, but I only met him once when I was a kid, and only three other times since I've stopped aging."

Carlisle nodded, showing he understood. "What did you hear, Edward?"

"James is a Tracker." At that, the others froze. "He tracked down someone who smelled like Bella a few years ago."

Sarcasm marred my tone as I said, "Let me guess, he got his ass handed to him by a six and a half foot man with bag lady nails? And now he's pissed off because he didn't get his man, so he's going to try to kill me to sooth his messed up ego."

Edward growled. "That isn't funny. He's dangerous."

"So am I." We glared at each other.

"We need to get you out of here," Edward insisted. "He's just going to trace your scent and find you." He grabbed my arm and began to pull me toward the jeep.

I paused. If he could trace my scent from across town, that would lead him straight to- "Charlie!" I shouted. I ripped my arm out of his grip. "I can't leave him here defenceless," I insisted.

"Bella, please," Edward begged, reaching for my hand again. I shrugged him off violently.

"I'll kill him myself. I'm _really _good at killing. I've got all these medals at home to prove it." My hands shook with anger. Edward was unmoved. I growled and began to pace. The others watched me anxiously. They wanted me to leave. I brought my hands up to my face and pressed my palms against my closed eyes. I thought back to every strategy I'd ever learned when in battle. I thought about every plot of every cheesy cop show that had ever aired. I took a deep breath. Edward's cold hands pulled my hands away from my face.

"Please, Bella just let me get you out of here. The others will watch Charlie." He looked over to them and I saw Emmett nod.

"This is my mess. I'll deal with it. You guys don't have to get involved."

"Too late for that," Rosalie muttered. I didn't bother to answer that.

Edward stiffened. "They've split up. James is trying to find your scent. Laurent is heading for the house. If we're going to protect Charlie, we need to move now."

I ground my teeth together. "Damn it. Charlie will freak if I just take off." My eyes widened. "Got it!" I shouted.

Edward frowned. "Got what?" He asked suspiciously.

I grinned at him. "I'll tell him that I'm moving back in with Renée. He can't legally keep me here. James will hear and maybe he'll leave Charlie alone so that he can catch up with me."

Jasper moved closer to us. "If he hears, he'll know where you are," he pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. "Think! He'll know that we know that he's listening. He'll never believe that I'm going where I say I'm going."

Emmett sped over. "She's devious," he commented, grinning.

I gave him a mock-bow. "Thank you. I try."

Edward didn't stop frowning. "What do you mean, _I_? You're not going alone."

Alice sprang over. The others followed in a cluster. "Jasper and I will take her." She touched his shoulder gently. "We'll keep her safe, Edward."

"Why can't I-" Edward started to ask.

Carlisle interrupted. "No, the Tracker saw how you reacted. He knows that you'll never leave Bella. Besides, you can do much more for her if you stay here and try to find him."

I couldn't suppress the jolt of fear I felt at Carlisle's words. "You don't have to do that," I insisted.

"He's never going to stop unless we kill him. The only way is to tear him apart and burn the pieces." He grimaced, as if he realized that he'd said too much.

"Okay," I agreed. "I'll go talk to Charlie."

-

I've received a few comments on errors. I'm sorry about those; I'm using the Twilight wiki website to gain background information on the characters and some it might be wrong. For the person who asked how Edward knew about Bella's claws, I'm pretty sure in Midnight Sun he was reading those awful dudes' minds while trying to find Bella. That's how he knew.

Oh, and "Kylemoor", you can write whatever you want. Most of the ideas on fan fiction have similar plots and such, so it's not a big deal for you to copy one. I've seen a couple other stories where Bella has Wolverine's powers, although from reading them, they don't follow the same plot as mine. Thanks for asking, though.


	10. Chapter 10

Wolverine

I'm going to skip over the whole "I'm leaving!" scene. You all know what happens anyway. Again, I apologize for the copious amounts of copying. I assure you that it'll decrease as time goes on.

Oh, and _yes_ Xavier2163, as soon as Bella gets James alone, it _will _be game on. (Menacing laugh).

-

"_Before setting out on revenge, first dig ten graves. Saves time later." (I love this quote; it's so Clint Eastwood)_

-

Bella's POV

We approached the Cullen household and I tried not to be too miserable. Fighting with Charlie was tiring. I never wanted to hurt him like that again. I was on my motorcycle. My helmet still lay under the seat. I had no time to put it on anyway. Edward wanted to drive me to the house, but of course, Charlie would notice if I left my bike.

I skidded to a stop and jumped to the ground. Edward was beside me in a second. We headed inside. Both of us growled when we spotted Laurent.

Carlisle held up a hand. "Wait!" he implored. "He came to warn us…about James."

We stared at Laurent, mentally egging him on. He studied me for a second before Edward growled at him. Laurent held up his hands. "I mean no harm; I am merely fascinated. James told me of another like her."

"Grandpa Sabertooth," I said sarcastically. I sensed their confusion. "He has fangs," I explained. "He thought it would be good for a laugh."

Laurent nodded. "This isn't my fight, and I've grown tired of his games. But, he has unparalleled senses, absolutely lethal. I've never seen anything like him in my three hundred years. And the woman, Victoria, don't underestimate her," he warned. He looked at Carlisle. "This family up north, the Denali coven, I believe I will visit them as you suggested." He nodded at us before leaving.

"Well that's just perfectly awful," I commented.

"Come on," Edward said. We followed Carlisle into the garage where the others were preparing to leave.

"I've had to fight our kind before. They're not easy to kill," Jasper cautioned.

"But not impossible," Emmett said. I could sense his eagerness to fight.

"I don't relish the thought of killing another creature; even a sadistic one like James." That was Carlisle, of course.

"I don't have a problem with it. The guy has no respect for the dead." I clenched my fists, remembering Waylon's jacket again. In some cultures, stealing from the dead would mean a death sentence. For a mythical creature, the guy didn't seem too worried about vengeful spirits and the like.

Alice put her hand on my shoulder. She looked at Edward. "Jasper and I will run her south. We'll keep her safe, Edward."

Edward cringed. "Can you keep your thoughts to yourself?"

"Yes," she told him. She wrapped her arm around my waist and helped me into one of their cars.

Edward pulled out a few articles of clothing. "Rosalie, Esme," He through a jacket at Rosalie. "Could you put these on so the Tracker will follow Bella's scent?"

"Why?" Rosalie asked from her perch on the counter. She glared at me. "What's she to me?"

Carlisle approached her. His face was sombre. "Rosalie, Bella is with Edward. She's part of this family, and we protect our family."

"Oh, stop it, Doc. You're making me blush," I said, trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work.

Rosalie didn't say anything, but she did take the jacket. Emmett followed close behind her as she got into his jeep.

Edward approached me. I rolled down my window and waited for him. "I swear by all that is holy, if you get yourself killed…" I choked on the last word.

"Nothing's going to happen," Edward soothed. "There's seven of us and there's two of them."

"If you let me come along, they'll be eight."

He growled. "No, I won't put you in anymore danger."

I restrained the urge to hit him. "If I want to be put in danger, then I'll damn well be put in danger! If Victor survived those fangless freaks-no offence-then I sure as hell can!"

Edward sighed almost painfully. He tilted his head down. "Bella, you are my life now. Even the thought of you in danger is maddening. Just, please, do this one thing for me. Please just stay away until this is over."

I couldn't speak. I ran my fingers over his furrowed brow and nodded. I could do that. Jasper started the car and we sped out into the darkness.

As night turned to morning, I called Renée. I told her that everything was all right, and that I wasn't in Forks. I hoped she wouldn't be too upset with me.

And then we played the waiting game.

-

Edward's POV

She was so _stubborn_! I'd never met anyone so stubborn in over a hundred years.

I didn't deserve her.

We sped through the forest. I kept track of _James' _thoughts the best I could. So far, he hadn't noticed that Bella was long gone. For that, I was glad.

Rosalie was miserable and bored. Emmett was excited. It irritated me, but I knew it was just Emmett.

"Rosalie, mark the tree!" I ordered. She rubbed Bella's jacket against it and sniffed the bark. "That's good," I told her. She ran to catch up with us.

Bella was probably in Arizona. Jasper would know how desperate I was. He'd want to keep Alice far away too. I finally understood his protective desire to keep her safe. It almost made me sympathize with his earlier desire to kill Bella. I'd never admit it to him, though.

_What?_

I paused mid stride. James wasn't following anymore. I saw through his eyes as he backed away. He leaned over the tree where Rosalie had planted Bella's scent. He sniffed it and I realized what was wrong a second after he did. He pulled a fibre out from underneath a patch of bark and growled. He smacked the tree, leaving a large dent, and took off the way he'd come. His thoughts centered on killing us after he was done with Bella.

I growled. "He's figured it out," I said in defeat.

-

Bella's POV

The hotel room we stayed in was nice. We had to keep the curtains closed. For the most part, I stayed still. Jasper and Alice sat on the couch, not really speaking, but seeming to communicate so intimately that I looked away to give them their privacy.

"Mirrors!" Alice gasped. I stopped staring at the wall and glanced sharply at her. "He's just changed course." Her eyes glazed over. I didn't need a psychic vampire-to-immortal teenager dictionary to know she was talking about James.

Jasper jumped up and grabbed a pencil and a piece of paper. Alice's blind hand began to draw. Her eyes never stopped staring at the wall.

"Where will it take him, Alice?" Jasper asked.

"Mirrors!" she repeated. The dread with which she said the word made me shiver. I leaned over them as she drew. "A room full of mirrors."

I studied her drawing. A faint memory began to stir as I looked at the picture. "Ballet studio!" I exclaimed, remembering the mirrors.

When Renée first took me in, she was so disorganized. She had at least a dozen different activities lined up for me. One of them was ballet.

I'm a good dancer, but I prefer something a little more risqué. Ballet was just too…pink.

"You've been here?" Alice asked. I could see that she was actually looking at me and not just staring through me.

I nodded. "Renée took me for lessons when I first moved here. The school I went to had an arch just like that." I pointed to the picture, indicating which arch I meant.

"Was your school here in Phoenix?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah," I answered. My brain caught up to my mouth a second later. "Oh, damn! Does that mean he's coming here?"

I didn't get an answer.

-

Jasper and Alice waited at the front desk downstairs as I packed.

Edward had called. His plan was to get me as far away from Phoenix as possible. He and I were going to go somewhere safe until James and Victoria were caught.

I hated the thought of running again. It was bad enough that I'd let him talk me into leaving Forks. I really had it bad for him.

I pulled out my phone as I heard it vibrating. I looked at the screen and saw that it was Renée. I mentally prepared myself for the onslaught of her desperation. She'd probably either beg me to come home or to go back to Charlie, neither of which I could do if I wanted to keep them safe.

"Renée?" I asked.

I heard her call my name, before she fell silent. I realized I was right about the desperation thing.

"Calm down. Everything's fine." I heard her call my name again. "I'll explain everything later." I heard a click. "Renée? Are you still there?"

"Forks High school doesn't protect its student's privacy very well," a charming voice said to me. I nearly crushed the phone in my hand as I realized who it was. "It was just too easy for Victoria to find your previous address. It's a nice house you have here. I was prepared to wait for you, but then your _foster mom_," He sneered the words. "Raced home after receiving a very worrying message from your _foster dad_. And it all worked out quite well."

I growled. "Don't you touch her," I said dangerously.

"You can still save her." That stopped me up short. He couldn't be serious. He was actually going to give me a chance to help her? "But you're gonna have to get away from your friends. Can you handle that?"

I took a deep breath. "Where should I meet you?"

I could almost hear his smile. "How about your old ballet studio? And I'll know if you bring anyone along. Poor Renée will pay the price for that mistake."

"I'll be there," I told him. I left my bag on the bed. I crushed my phone and walked downstairs. Thankfully, Alice and Jasper were busy on the phone. I could only imagine what they were telling Edward.

I slipped out the glass door, suppressing my anxiety as best I could as I got into a cab. I gave the driver the address and offered a huge tip. I gritted my teeth and kept my eyes on my watch. I didn't want to accidentally give Alice a landmark to find me. After Renée was safe, I would deal with James.

The thought of actually dying didn't cross my mind. I was immortal, and I had no plans of changing that status in the near future. If James wanted a fight, than I'd give him a fight.

The cab pulled up to the ballet studio. I thanked the driver and got out.

I could smell him.

I pulled the door open and looked around. The room was dark and ominous, but I didn't give a crap about the setting. I preferred to go straight to the action scenes.

"Renée?" I called.

"_Bella? Bella? Where are you?_" a disembodied voice asked. It was Renée. I ran toward the back of the studio, intent on getting her out.

"_There you are! What are you doing back here?_"

"_The dance teacher didn't appreciate my improvisation. I figured Danse Macabre could use a little more seduction and a little less pink._" I recognized my own cocky voice and stopped short.

I tore open the doors of the closet and came face-to-face with a video of Renée and me. My hair was cut in a way that made me look a couple years younger, and I wore a red dress that was rather inappropriate for a fifteen-year-old.

"_Bella_," Renée scolded as she caught sight of T.V.-Me's outfit. T.V.-Me shrugged indifferently.

I started as I heard laughter from behind me. I spun around, my claws itching to be let out. My eyes darted around the room as I spotted a dozen reflections of James. Finally, he revealed himself.

"That's my favourite part," he admitted.

"She's not even here," I accused. Even in my anger, I was glad that Renée was somewhere safe. I couldn't stand the thought of her being anywhere near that bastard.

He laughed. "Sorry, but you really made it too easy." He held up a video camera, and I could have killed him right then if he hadn't kept talking. "What do you say we make things a little more interesting?"

I growled. My claws extended and glimmered in the dim light. "Allow me!" My right arm snaked out and my claws tore at his chest. He backed out of the way just in time.

He laughed. "I was thinking more along the lines of making a video for Edward." He sneered the name. He set the video camera on one of the tables. "And, action!" he said, pressing the record button.

I glared at the camera, and then at him. "Music to my ears, bub! Step right up! Be the first in line to meet your ancestors." I crouched down, ready to fight.

James dove at me and we smashed into the TV set. It collapsed under our weight and glass sprayed out at me. Several of the shards dug into my back, but I ignored that. I remembered my training and kicked James in the chest. He smashed into the wall and dropped to the ground.

I jumped back to my feet and ran toward the door. As I expected, James tried to tackle me. I ducked at the last millisecond and he lunged over my head. I grabbed his leg mid-flight and smacked him to the ground. He landed on his stomach.

James let out a growl and kicked my shin. The force was enough to bring me to the ground. In a second, his hand was wrapped around my throat. I couldn't suffocate, but that didn't mean I didn't need to breath. Black spots appeared before my eyes as I tried to get him off me. His other hand grasped my wrist. He brought my arm up to his lips and I felt a painful sting as his teeth sunk into my arm. My struggles renewed and I shoved him off me with my free arm. He crashed into the mirror and glass rained down on him.

I jumped to my feet, holding my injured arm. The bite throbbed painfully and I clenched my forearm until blood flow stopped. I began to feel dizzy and my vision blurred.

James stepped away from the debris and grinned at me. He crouched down and prepared to spring at me, when I heard a crash from my right.

I laughed out loud as Edward tackled James into the wall. "About time you showed up. I was beginning to think you cashed in my insurance and went to Disney World!"

Edward didn't answer me. I realized through my relief that he was growling loudly. He had James by the throat. I watched in horror as he bit James' neck and tore out a piece.

I realized I was still holding my arm tightly. I loosened my grip, my bones creaking as I did so. I risked a glance at my arm and saw a crescent shaped bite mark just above my wrist. It still throbbed and I could see it pulsing. A thick, translucent liquid oozed out of the wound as my body began to fight back.

I heard the sounds of the others landing. Alice approached me and the others went after James. Carlisle began speaking to Edward, but I couldn't bring myself to listen. My eyes were glued to the pulsing wound.

Finally, the last of James' venom dripped out of my veins and the wound began to heal. Alice's breath caught as she watched with me. Edward raced over and clutched me to him. I squirmed, the strange fog lifting now that the venom was gone. "Edward, can you give me a minute? I've got vampire spit all over my arm." Edward laughed and pulled away, but he kept his hands on my shoulders.

I looked at my arm and pulled a face. Alice offered me a tissue. I began wiping it just as I smelled the smoke. I looked up, transfixed as I saw Emmett and Jasper tearing James to pieces and throwing them into a small fire. The smell his stone flesh emitted as it burned made my nose wrinkle. The too-sweet scent washed over me and I backed away.

"Bella, are you alright?" Carlisle asked. He looked at my injured arm. The wound was already healed over.

"Top of the food chain," I answered, smirking. "You know, apart from the vampire spit and the fact that my jacket was ripped." I pulled my jacket off and considered throwing it into the fire, but I didn't want to leave the police any DNA evidence. "Damn! I've had this since 1964!" I wondered if Alice could help me sew it back together.

"Focus," Edward ordered. He couldn't seem to stop looking at me. I realized he was probably pissed at me for taking off.

I shrugged my torn jacket back on and fixed the collar. "I'm fine; another five seconds and I would've had him right where I wanted him!" Edward gave me a dark look. I glared right back at him. "He said he had Renée! What was I supposed to do?"

"You were supposed to call us so that we could help you," he responded, but I could see his anger melting away. He brushed his thumbs over my cheeks and gazed at me.

My own frustration melted away. "Jeez, don't go all soft on me, Edward. I'm fine." He checked me over himself to make sure that I was, and seemed satisfied. "Charlie's going to be so mad at me," I moaned.

"He'll forgive you," Edward reassured me. Alice nodded.

"We need to get out of here before the police come," Carlisle said. Jasper and Emmett finished putting out the fire and sped outside to get the cars. Rosalie ignored me, which was fine by me. I couldn't see Esme anywhere so I assumed she was back in Forks, protecting Charlie. Carlisle looked at my arm again and muttered, "Remarkable." He looked at Edward for a few seconds and Edward sighed.

"Ask _her_," he said, indicating to me.

Carlisle gave me a sheepish grin as I turned to look at him. "I was wondering, Bella, if you would allow me to run a few tests on you; nothing too intrusive, I assure you, but it would satisfy some of my curiosity, as well as give you some answers about yourself." I heard Rosalie scoff in the background before she left. Edward glared at her.

I shrugged. "I guess that would be okay."

Carlisle's smiling was so blinding that I almost took a step back. "Good. Now, I'd like to do some tests to see how quickly you heal to start with, but perhaps testing your senses would also give us some information-"

"Carlisle," Edward interrupted. "We need to go." Edward's eyes were unfocussed. "Someone called police. We should hurry."

Carlisle nodded and we left for home.

-

I'm almost finished with the movie stuff. I just need to get through the Prom Scene. There's going to be a big surprise then. (Well, maybe not too much of a surprise.) I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Adieu, faithful readers.


	11. Chapter 11

Wolverine

I am an evil, evil person! I started writing the second chapter of my one-shot. I don't know if I'll be able to finish it, but I'll certainly try. I just need a little inspiration.

In addition, I've been thinking about my next story, "Hunter", and I've gone and made it so big and interesting that I can barely focus on finishing this one. Don't hate me.

-

"_Well, I love mysteries. No, really, I do. 'Cause I can usually solve a mystery by beating the snot outta somebody."_

-

Bella's POV

Thursday March 4th, 2010.

My name is Bella Logan. My buddies back in the Wars called me Wolverine. I'm the best there is at what I do, but what I do best…isn't shopping.

Alice had me try on more than twenty dresses for the Spring Dance that Friday. We still hadn't found anything that suited me.

Charlie was glad when I came back. I pleaded temporary insanity and implied that my female hormones had gone out of whack. He just wanted to forget the whole incident. That was fine by me.

"What about this one?" Alice asked, holding up yet _another _dress. This one was gold. I studied it, trying to be unbiased.

I took the dress from Alice and held it up to my front. I checked the mirror. The neckline was a little too low, and it didn't even reach my mid-thighs, but I liked it. I figured that in this day and age, some other girl was bound to be wearing something worse. Plus, it was on sale.

"I like it," I told her.

"You like the price tag," Alice corrected. "Of course, with your figure, every dress looks good on you."

I looked down. "What figure?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and I stuck my tongue out at her. We dissolved into giggles.

Alice's eyes glazed over and she let out a shriek. She slammed a hand over her mouth, but not before I caught the smile on her face.

"What?" I asked. Alice shook her head and pantomimed zipping her lips shut.

"Edward will murder me," she explained. I rolled my eyes at her and took another look at the dress. "It's your size. I can see that it will be perfect."

I smiled. "Yeah," I agreed. We headed for the cash register and Alice somehow conned me into letting her pay for it. She reasoned that it was the least she could do for making me spend a whole afternoon with Rosalie.

Rosalie thus far had been silent. She'd sat, glaring at me from a yellow plastic chair. When she heard Alice, she growled lowly in her direction. Alice bubbled over with laughter and pulled her sister into a hug. Rosalie pouted but acquiesced.

We headed outside with our bags, Alice allowed me to carry hers to the car to make up for spending her money. Alice found my eager-to-please attitude refreshing. She told me that I made up for Edward's grouchiness. Even Rosalie cracked a smile as she said that.

We were cutting it close, the Dance was tomorrow, but I was reluctant to leave Charlie, even for a trip to Seattle. Now that he'd finally figured out that I wasn't taking off again, he'd settled down.

I looked around as we crossed the street to Alice's new Porsche, a birthday gift from Edward. I stuffed the bags into the trunk and then I smelled something. It was an old scent, but it was the kind I had become accustomed to.

Vampire.

"Alice, do you smell that?" I whispered, knowing she would hear.

Alice poked her head out of her window and inhaled. Her eyes narrowed. "Get in the car, Bella. We're going home."

I let myself into the backseat. Rosalie's temporary ease was replaced by a scowl. Her eyes whipped around vigilantly. Alice started the car and we raced back to the Cullen's house.

We let ourselves in. Edward and the others were out hunting, so the place was empty. Carlisle was working the late shift, so he probably wouldn't be home for at least an hour. It was nearly ten o'clock.

"Charlie's going to worry about me if I stay out too late," I told Alice. Rosalie sat down on the couch and began flipping the channels. Alice and I ignored her.

"You can leave if you want. Edward will probably drop by soon anyway." I nodded and headed outside. My motorcycle was parked in the driveway. I put my helmet on and headed home, the bag with my dress clutched in my hand.

-

Edward's POV (Haven't done this in a while)

_Okay, Edward, just know that this is no reason to go completely off the deep end. We don't even know if he's headed for Forks. Do _not _ruin Bella's surprise! I can't see anything going wrong tomorrow._

I pinched the bridge of my nose and huffed. "Are you sure it's nothing?"

Alice scrunched her eyes up. "I don't see them doing anything. We should be prepared, though. You should stay with Bella. Although, I don't think that anyone else will attack her." She smiled. "No, Bella's safe."

"Good," I said. Alice was very rarely wrong. "What's her dress like?" I asked. I caught a flash of gold before Alice began loudly singing the alphabet at the top of her mental lungs. "Okay," I laughed, covering my ears mockingly. "I can wait."

Carlisle tapped his chin, deep in thought. I tuned in a realized he was thinking about the results of Bella's brain scans.

Bella had had dozens of x-rays over the years, but she'd never had any tests done on her brain. Carlisle found that her PET scan showed that she had five times more brain activity than a normal human did. He assumed that it was related to her increased senses. Half of the human brain is designed to learn how to see. Only a small portion is required to learn how to think.

Carlisle worried that she might be more susceptible to seizures, but if she hadn't had any in a hundred years; it was unlikely that she would have any problems in the future.

Everything was fine.

-

Bella's POV

I looked in the mirror and debated whether I should have left my hair straight. It was certainly long enough to pull off the bouncy curl look, but I wondered if it was too Shirley Temple. I sighed and dabbed my lips with a Kleenex. My mascara was probably too thick, but I didn't have time to wipe it off. I'd probably just end up looking like a racoon.

"You had better appreciate this, Edward," I muttered. I heard his muffled chuckle from downstairs where he and Charlie waited for me. I twirled my Dog Tags around.

I spun around; checking to make sure my dress wasn't riding up too high. The golden high-heeled shoes that Alice gave me matched the dress. I decided that it was now or never and headed downstairs.

Edward and Charlie were waiting for me at the base of the stairs. I smiled.

"You look beautiful," Edward said. Charlie's eyes bulged as he saw my dress, but thankfully, he didn't say anything.

"You're not too shabby yourself," I replied, smiling.

Edward opened the door for me. I walked out, waving to Charlie.

We climbed into Edward's Volvo, (even I wasn't brave enough to go on my motorcycle wearing _this_) and headed to the school.

"Alice said that the vampire isn't coming into town," Edward said.

"Well that's good. For a minute there, I was sure I'd end up on another cross-country race." Edward frowned heavily until we pulled up to the school.

He walked around and opened my door for me. His head snapped up and he looked behind me. "Company," he muttered.

I looked back as well and spotted a very spiffy-looking Jacob. "Hey Jake!" I called, waving happily. "You crashing the party?" I asked, smirking.

"No, uh…" Jake looked pointedly at Edward.

"I need to go speak with Alice," Edward said, excusing himself.

Jacob began to explain the second he thought Edward was out of earshot. "My dad paid me to come here; twenty bucks." He looked embarrassed.

I realized that, once again, he was growing. He was even taller than Edward was now. "Okay, what did he want you to tell me?"

"Don't freak," Jacob asked, looking down guiltily. "He wants you to break up with your boyfriend. He said, _quote_, 'we'll be watching you.'"

I chuckled, unnerved. "Jake, tell your dad that everything's fine with Edward. He doesn't have to worry about me. And tell him to pay up," I said.

"Will do," Jacob said, laughing.

"Done?" Edward asked as he strode toward us.

My eyes shifted to Jacob as I smelt something unusual. My nostrils flared. Jacob's scent had changed.

That was impossible. No one's scent changed so quickly, without any reason. He almost smelt like…

_The Cullens don't come here._

I remembered the Quileute boy from that day on the beach. His scent was strange as well. It was a wild scent that animals possessed. Why on earth would a teenage boy smell like that?

"Yeah," I responded, trying to cover up my discomfort. "I'll see you around Jake." Edward took my hand and led me into the gym. "What did you need to see Alice about?" I asked.

"I just wanted to give you some privacy," he replied. After a moment, he asked, "Do you like him?"

"Jake's a good guy," I said. "He's got his own motorcycle. I might ask him to go riding with me sometime."

Edward frowned. "He likes you a lot."

I turned to look at him as we entered the dance area. "You're cute when you're jealous," I said teasingly. "Relax, he's only sixteen. I should at least date someone who was born in the same decade as me."

Edward eased up and pulled me toward the dance floor. I waved at some of the people I knew, but I really didn't feel like dancing. If they were playing some oldies, I might've been more into it.

"Let's go out to the gazebo," Edward said. He led me outside, where it was private. The gazebo was decorated with brilliant lights. There were only two other couples dancing in it. As soon as Edward and I approached, they left, smiling at me.

We spun in a slow circle, not really listening to the music. I leaned my head against his cold chest and smiled. "I could sure go for some Etta James. "At Last" would just be perfect for this moment."

Edward laughed lightly. He pulled away as the song ended. His hands rubbed against my shoulders. "You aren't cold, are you?" he asked.

"I don't get cold," I replied. He smiled.

"I have something to give you."

I tilted my head. "What?" I asked.

"Close your eyes," he said. I did so. I heard him shift in front of me and started to open my eyes. "No peeking," he ordered. I reluctantly kept them closed. "Okay."

I opened my eyes. My mouth dropped open as I realized Edward was on one knee in front of me. In one hand, he held the most beautiful ring I'd ever seen. He smiled at my reaction. "I didn't get the chance to give you this earlier," he began. I sucked in a breath and realized that I was ridiculously close to bursting into tears. "Will you marry me?" I swallowed the lump that formed in my throat and held out my left hand. Edward carefully slipped the ring onto my finger. I raised my hand to my face so that I could get a good look at it.

It was a long oval, with slanted rows of diamonds, surrounded with a gold netting. I couldn't stop staring at it. When I'd stopped aging, I'd given up any hope of being with anyone. Now, I was engaged.

"Oh, _god_!" I exclaimed, looking around. "No one saw this, right? Damn, if Charlie finds out I'm engaged, I'll be so grounded!" Edward ducked his head and smothered his laughter. "Stop laughing; this is serious," I said, but I was unable to keep a straight face. I knelt down next to him and kissed him. "You're lucky you're cute or I'd have to beat the crap out of you for laughing at me."

"I'm sorry," Edward said, struggling to compose himself. "I'm fine," he said, still grinning. I smiled back at him as we got to our feet. A new slow song came on and we starting dancing again. The lights reflected off my new ring. I kept looking at it, trying to believe that all my wishes were coming true. Edward never stopped looking at me until the DJ announced that the dance was over.

The gym erupted with clapping and laughter as we piled into our cars. Edward and I stayed outside for a few more minutes, waiting for the traffic to clear up. I twirled my ring around my finger, trying to center it so that I could have the best view. "I'm not taking this off. If Charlie figures out what's going on, he can call Renée. I'm technically eighteen, so I can do whatever I want."

"I don't want you to get into trouble," Edward replied softly.

"Trouble is my middle name," I said haughtily. "If I'm not making it, I'm in it." I grinned at him as he rolled his eyes.

We got into his car and rode over to my house. Charlie was in the living room, sitting up for me. I laughed loudly as we approached and gave Edward a very indecent kiss. I heard Charlie grumble as he witnessed that. Edward opened the door for me. "Goodnight, love."

I took another look at my ring. "Goodnight, Edward." He took my hand and kissed it. I pretended to swoon and received another long-suffering look from him.

"Bella? It's getting late," Charlie called. I rolled my eyes at his impatience and Edward smiled. He got into his car and left for his home. I was sure that Alice would ambush him to second he arrived. I was also sure that he would be by later on, and that I really needed to get my makeup off. I headed straight up to the bathroom and fixed myself up. I laid my dress gently on my bed and put on my nightgown.

I realized that I was exhausted. Social events always wore me out. I knew Edward wouldn't mind if I was asleep when he arrived. I dozed off after a few minutes.

-

I know...you hate me. I make you wait for over a week and I give you this. It's just…I'm halfway through another chapter for Talent Search, not to mention I got this wicked idea for another story that I can't get out of my head. I also have to brush up on my knowledge of the rest of the series so that I know how to incorporate it.

Once again, sorry.

Adieu faithful readers.


	12. Chapter 12

Wolverine

Not too bad a response. I'll try never to put you through that again. I hope you guys won't mind if I post the first chapter of Hunter. It might help me get my creative juices flowing if I'm writing what my brain is telling me to write. It'll mean slower updates, but I'm a lot more prompt than _some people_, (you know who you are). I'm going to start writing it. I'll try to get through to the end of this without losing what little sanity I have left. So sorry. Please have patience.

-

"_If you value your ability to sit comfortably, bub, then best drop that gun. 'Cause if I have to come over there and take it away from you...I'll give you one good guess just where I'm gonna __**stick**__ it."_

-

Edward's POV

Sunday, April 18th, 2010.

"This isn't good, Carlisle," I said. I held up the Seattle newspaper. "This isn't just a nomad; it's much more than that." I began to pace the living room.

Carlisle took the paper and read over the story. He frowned and sighed. "It seems to be too risky for a nomad. If they were aware of the Volturi, they would know to cover their tracks better. It may be an abandoned newborn, or several of them."

"What's a 'Volturi'?" I spun around as I realized that Bella had snuck up on me. I was too tense if I didn't notice her heartbeat from miles away. Bella seemed to enjoy my surprise a little too much. "Snuck up on you," she jibed. "You should pay better attention, Edward. Exams are coming up and we have to plan for our futures." She rolled her eyes at that and looked at her ring. "Seriously, what's a Volturi, and why are you two so worried?" She looked up at me and I knew I couldn't hide anything from her.

"Come sit down," I offered. We sat on the couch as Carlisle went upstairs. I could sense Bella's curiosity. "You've noticed the increase of deaths around Seattle, haven't you?" I asked.

Her eyes narrowed. "It's vampires, right? I can smell them on people who've just come from Seattle. I don't like this, Edward. What are they doing here?"

I sighed. "Carlisle thinks they might be newborns, that is to say, newborn vampires. They seem to have little control. They've just been going after anyone they can find and they're sloppy about hiding the bodies." Bella flinched. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I'm just going to have to get used to the whole vampire thing if I'm staying with you forever." She gave me one of her most breathtaking smiles and for a moment, I lost my train of thought.

"The Volturi?" Bella questioned again. "What do a few newborn vampires have to do with…whatever that is?"

I sighed again. This would be difficult to explain. "The Volturi are a group of very powerful vampires. They are like royalty in the vampire community. They live in Volterra, Italy. They are led be three brothers, Aro, Marcus and Caius. Aro has a talent similar to mine." I tapped my head playfully, trying to lighten the mood, but Bella didn't smile. I went on. "Marcus has the ability to sense relationships. Caius doesn't have a power. They are all over three thousand years old."

Bella gasped. "Are you frigging kidding me?" she asked.

I shook my head. "They are very respected and feared by all vampires, because they enforce laws to protect us."

"Vampires have laws?" Bella asked, a bit of a smile cracking to the surface. "So it isn't all, 'party 'til the end of time'? You actually have rules to follow?"

My lips turned up into a grimacing smile before falling into a straight line. "We have two rules. One is much more complicated. We have to keep our secret. It involves making sure that no one sees us when we feed, or covering our tracks. For us vegetarians, it involves moving every few years to make sure that no one notices that we aren't aging."

Bella looked at the carpet. Her eyes scrunched together and lines appeared in between her eyebrows. "That's a biggy, I suppose. It'd be mass panic if the people of Forks found out that the neighbours were vampires." She cracked another smile. "Sparkling vampires no less. That would just give them chills." She mock-shivered, but I could tell that she thought it was serious. "What happens if you break the rules?" she asked, although I suspected she already knew the answer.

"Depending on the circumstances, they'll hold a vote. If your actions are deemed a threat to vampires, they'll kill you."

She flinched again. "Harsh."

"It may be harsh, but it has protected us for hundreds of years." I looked away, wondering how she would take any more news. "Aro once invited me to join his guard. I turned him down. Carlisle is actually a very good friend of his, although Aro was very concerned about his diet." I smirked.

"His guard?" Bella asked. Her eyes narrowed.

"There are about nine permanent vampires in the guard, but he has several dozen who pass through. They feel it's an honour to work for them. They are selected for their talents. Aro only takes the best. To be honest, he is rather greedy." Carlisle mentally protested my statement, but I ignored him.

Suddenly, I realized that I was curious about something. "As I said, Aro has a talent similar to mine. He can hear every thought you've ever had, but he needs physical touch to do so. I wonder if he would be able to hear your thoughts," I said. Bella looked down, and I could almost swear that she was blushing.

"Let's hope we don't find out." She finally said. "What's the second rule?" she asked, trying to change the subject. I wasn't too keen on talking about that, but Bella would never let it go if I didn't.

"The second rule has to do with the creation of immortal children. That is, vampires who have been turned at very young ages."

Bella looked up, horrified. "You mean someone actually changed little kids?"

I nodded sombrely. "Sometimes babies as young as two." Bella blanched. She touched her wrist, apparently thinking about when James had bit her. I suppressed a growl. "The children had no control over their thirst. They were beautiful and deadly. Anyone who saw them fell in love instantly, but they were frozen at whatever mental age they'd been turned. Aro studied them for many years, hoping that they could learn control, but sadly, they couldn't. He ordered them all destroyed."

"Covens banned together to protect them. It was complete chaos for many years. Aro proclaimed that the creation of an immortal child was punishable by death. There haven't been any new ones created for several centuries."

Bella sat still and thought. Her hands clenched. "Why would anyone do that to _babies_ for goodness' sakes?"

I looked away, suddenly feeling as if I were venturing into uncharted territory. "Vampires can't have children, Bella," I said. I needed her to be aware of this. "Some vampires, mostly female, would do anything to be parents. Esme feels as if the others and I are her children. She loves taking care of us, but for some, a bunch of teenagers isn't enough. Rosalie in particular would do anything to have a child. It's one of the reasons that she doesn't like humans to be honest. She's jealous."

Bella's face became distant. "That's sad," she murmured. "Back when I was a child, all any girl wanted to do was be a mother. I wanted to be a nurse. I don't think I ever considered having babies. I guess I wouldn't have minded then, but I don't think I can now. I've been stuck like this for so long, I doubt if I can even _change_ enough to carry a baby." She brought her thumbnail up to her lips. "I guess I can understand, but it still wasn't right."

"No, I guess it wasn't." I reached out to touch her face. "The important thing right now is how we deal with the newborns. To be honest, I'd prefer if the Volturi never found out about you. It probably wouldn't end well." I looked down, suddenly aware that my eyes were filled with anger. Bella was rare and powerful. Aro would surely find her immunity to our venom and her rapid healing to be of use to him. Her mind might or might not be silent to him, but it would surely interest Aro that there was someone of whom _I _couldn't hear.

"Alright, so if we don't want a visit from the Volturi, when do we take on the newborns?" she asked, smirking. "That _is _your plan, isn't it? I can't just sit here and let more people die." She frowned.

The thought of her going up against a newborn made me cringe. "I'll talk to Alice. She'll give us some idea of what we're dealing with. She and the others should be back from their hunting trip in a day or so."

Bella nodded. "Good. Keep me posted." She got up to leave and turned around. "Oh, I almost forgot, I'm going to hang out with Jacob for a few hours. I promised I'd go motorcycling with him this afternoon. That kid," She shook her head and smiled. "He gave me these puppy dog eyes. I couldn't say no. Should I come over tonight?"

I thought about that. "No, you need your sleep. I'll come over when Alice arrives."

She smiled again. "Great! I'll see you soon." She gave me a kiss and raced outside.

Carlisle was by my side instantly.

_You don't really think that Aro would try to take her, do you? His guard is powerful enough without her._

"For Aro, nothing is enough," I replied.

-

Bella's POV

I somehow ended up on the back of Jacob's motorcycle. He gunned the engine and I threw my hands up. I knew that if I went off balance for a millisecond, I'd be thrown off. I'd have some serious explaining to do, but I was having too much fun.

"Faster, Jake!" I ordered, laughing. Charlie had been only too pleased when I told him I was spending time with Jacob. I guess he figured I was moving passed my 'I love Edward' stage. If only he knew…

I looked at my ring, glimmering in the faint sunlight. Edward and Carlisle were stuck inside. I wondered if they'd let me stay home with them when we were living together. It would seem odd if one of the Cullens came to school while the rest stayed home for camping and hiking. It just seemed to be one more benefit to hanging out with vampires.

Jacob slowed down as we approached his house. I laughed. "That is so _groovy_!" I yelled, not caring that I was using some seriously outdated slang around a teenager.

Jake laughed as well and helped me off his bike. We headed for his garage where he was working on an old car. I ran my fingers along the siding, searching for dents. I found one and surreptitiously smoothed it out as Jacob grabbed his tools.

"You're really awesome, you know?" he stated out of nowhere. I looked at him, confused. "What other girl on the planet would actually _want _to watch me fix up this piece of junk?" He playfully kicked the car's passenger door and looked down, shocked.

"What?" I asked, coming around to see. My eyes widened as I realized that he'd made a new dent with only a light kick. I looked closer. "You might want to replace that. If it can be dented so easily by your foot, it won't stand a chance in an accident," I explained.

Jacob still looked shocked. "That's so weird. I've kicked this thing dozens of times and it's never done _that_."

I laughed. "Well, Jake, if you've been kicking it all the time, you probably weakened the metal or something. Besides, you're getting some serious muscle for a sixteen-year-old." I playfully punched his arm.

He jerked back and smirked. "You wanna fight me, Shorty?"

I glared at him. "I'm 5'4"! That's average size for a girl!"

Jacob only smiled wider. "I'm almost 6'6"! You're short to me." He laughed uproariously as I playfully lunged for him. He ducked outside, a lot quicker than I imagined he could, but there was no time to think about that.

I jumped on his back and took him down. I grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back so that it was pinned. "Say I'm not short!" I ordered, grinning maliciously.

"Never!" Jake yelled, trying vainly to get out of my grip. He stopped, surprised. "Man, you are strong," he commented.

I twisted his arm more forcefully. "Say it!" I ordered again, putting my left hand on the ground beside his head to keep my leverage.

He jerked his head to the side and stopped struggling. I smirked. "Giving up?" I asked. My smirk faded as I realized he was staring at my ring. I pulled my hand out of his sight and backed away. He lay on the ground for a few more seconds before getting to his feet.

"What's with the ring?" he asked, trying to sound indifferent. I looked at his face and realized that he was jealous and hurt. I'd never thought that his crush on me had matured. I told him about how I liked the Cullen family and he didn't seem to mind that. He thought it was cool that I could hang out in their mansion whenever I pleased. He didn't really think that I was just hanging out with the girls. Surely, he'd heard all the gossip about Edward and me.

I never should have come here. I should have stayed away. I didn't think. I just wanted to go motorcycling with him. I wanted to be his friend.

"I'm engaged to Edward Cullen," I told him.

The jealously and hurt changed to anger. "You're not old enough to get married!" he yelled. He started to shake. His hands clenched into fists.

Oh, if there was one thing I hated, it was being told what to do.

I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. "I'm eighteen. I'm plenty old enough to get married. It isn't like I'm pregnant or anything!" Jacob's fists only tightened.

"You can't be serious! You can't want to stay with _him_!" I could hear the subtext in his voice. 'Why not me?'

I tried to calm myself down. "I love him, Jake. You're my friend, but I don't love you like I love him." It was true; he was my friend. I did love him, but in the way that I would love a sibling.

His anger turned almost feral and he snarled at me. I took a step back as the wind shifted and his scent blew into my face. It was changing again. Something was wrong.

"Jake, are you okay?" I asked, frightened.

"Jacob!" a voice called. I looked towards the woods and found Embry Call, an old friend of Jacob's. I was suddenly stunned by the similarities between them. They were both tall and muscular and their scents were almost the same. Embry walked carefully over to Jake with his hands up in a sign of surrender. "Hey, man. You have to calm down. You're scaring your girlfriend."

I was too freaked out to correct him on the girlfriend thing, but Jake did calm down a little at the mention of my fear.

Embry turned around and looked at me anxiously. "You might want to leave."

Embry was obviously an intelligent boy. Perhaps he was even psychic. There was nothing I wanted to do more than leave. I hopped on my motorcycle and raced into the forest. I detected the hint of more scents similar to Jake and Embry's but I didn't stop.

I rode until I was near the school. I realized that I was on the verge of crying. Something was wrong with Jacob, but what? I'd never met anyone whose scent changed in the blink of an eye. He'd been so furious with me. He _snarled _at me. People didn't do that. People didn't shoot up a foot over a couple of months. People didn't dent cars with light kicks.

People weren't so hot.

I looked at my hands as I remembered something weird. Jacob was hot. When I'd pinned his arm, his skin had felt warm, but I'd thought it had to do with our horsing around. Now that I thought about it, Jacob didn't seem to get cold anymore. On days where the temperature was below forty, he would show up at Charlie's in a t-shirt.

My musings were interrupted by a soft footstep. I'd learned to recognize the sound of vampires. I was instantly on alert. "Who's there?" I asked.

The footsteps approached and I almost sighed in relief.

"Laurent," I acknowledged. The former member of James's coven tilted his head as he walked toward me.

"Bella?" he questioned.

I gave him a pathetic smile that froze on my mouth as I looked at his eyes. They were red.

Laurent had gone vegetarian. I hadn't thought about him since he'd left, but I'd heard that he wasn't quite adjusting.

"Is there some reason that you're down here? I thought you were up with the Denali coven." Translation; I know you killed someone, you bloodsucking freak! Get out of my town and go back where you came from!

He paused. "I was, but I grew tired of the diet. It's much more difficult than I imagined."

"Well, having no self-control can really screw that up," I stepped off my motorcycle and faced him. "You didn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

Laurent smiled friendlily. "I actually came here as a favour."

My guard went up. "And what, might I ask, does this 'favour' entail?" I put my hands in the ready position. Something was making my instincts go nuts, and it wasn't just the smell of vampire in the air. There was something wrong.

"Victoria is rather upset with you."

Ah! There it is! Victoria, James's mate was definitely pissed at me for getting James killed. Sociopaths just don't understand that if you leave people alone, no one will try to get revenge on you.

"That's a pity. Tell her that I'm sorry she was going out with an obsessive psycho. It's really his own fault he got himself killed. I warned him."

Laurent only smiled wider. "She asked me to get the lay of the land a few weeks ago. When she found out that the Cullens were still here, she decided that a direct approach would work best." He stepped closer to me.

"You'd better leave, Laurent. Edward will kill you if he finds out what you're doing here." I backed away. I mentally calculated the best approach for fighting him. Should I go for his throat or take off his arms? Maybe I should cut off his legs so that he can't run.

As I was strategizing, I heard something. My head jerked to the right as I realized we were being watched. I picked up the scents of four…no five…_things_.

"What the hell?" I gasped. They looked like wolves, but they were _huge_. Was I dreaming? What is going on?!

The wolves growled in harmony and I realized that standing around staring at a bunch of giant wolves was probably not the most intelligent thing I'd ever done, not to mention I was ten feet from a vampire who wanted to kill me as a favour for some heartbroken vampire-widow.

I looked back at Laurent and received my third…wait, _fourth _shock of the day. Laurent was scared.

I watched as he backed up. "It can't be," he whispered.

One wolf, this one was large and russet-brown lunged out from behind the trees. Another, this one black, leaped after him and growled in his direction. The others seemed to take this as an okay and they leapt out behind the two. The russet-brown one locked eyes with me and turned away. Its snarl made my insides rattle.

Laurent took off.

The wolves ran after him. They were much faster than I imagined. No animal ran as fast as a vampire did. The wolves weren't as fast, though, they were faster. I watched until they disappeared into the trees. I stared, open-mouthed in their direction.

I closed my mouth and froze my expression into indifference. I climbed onto my motorcycle and started the engine. Swiftly, I rode over toward the Cullen mansion.

-

Well, that wasn't so bad. I've been doing a lot of thinking on where to take this. I'm sorry if it's not panning out to be what you imagined.

I need to go have a nervous breakdown now.

Adieu faithful readers.


	13. Chapter 13

Wolverine

I did something unforgivable. Instead of slaving away on the next chapter for Wolverine, I went and posted the first chapter of my new story, Hunter. You can read it if you'd like, although I haven't gotten to the good parts yet.

I've decided to add chapters alternatively between the two until I'm finished with one or the other. This means I have to speed up my writing. I also promised the second chapter of Talent Search, which is already half-written. This is a really stressful day.

Enough blathering. I need to get to work.

-

"_If this plan works, I'm going to go down in history as the craziest mother who ever lived."_

-

Bella's POV

I arrived at Edward's place and was pleased to find that the rest of the Cullens had arrived home. I shut off my motorcycle and climbed off. I didn't bother knocking as I stepped inside the house.

Jasper looked up as I approached the couch and sat down. I wondered what emotions he was getting from me. I was feeling pretty numb. "Are you alright, Bella?" Jasper asked. Alice whizzed over and stood in front of me. Her eyes narrowed.

"What's going on, Bella?" she demanded. I could only assume she'd seen Laurent and those giant wolves.

I realized I was probably in shock. I clasped my hands together and leaned forward until my forehead touched them. "Is there any rational reason as to why the Quileute boys are turning into giant wolves and chasing down vampires?" I finally asked.

I didn't see it, but I was pretty sure Alice's mouth dropped open. Rosalie and Emmett sped into the living room and stared at me. Their clothes were a little dishevelled and I tried not to think about what they were doing before. Edward was suddenly right beside me, holding my face in his hands. "What?" he asked.

I was beginning to feel my emotions again. Mostly, I was freaked. "I think that I just saw a pack of werewolves chase down Laurent," I said. My eyes widened as I realized what I'd said. "Would someone please tell me that werewolves don't exist?" I pleaded.

The vampires in the room froze, their faces went blank and their eyes widened in shock. Nobody volunteered to answer my question.

The tension was too much for me. I jumped to my feet, startling everyone. "What is _wrong _with this town?" I yelled. "First I find out that you guys are vampires, and now the guys from La Push are turning into werewolves!"

I suddenly remembered the conversation I'd had with Jake a million years ago. I was digging around for information on the Cullens only to have him start spouting nonsense about wolves and a treaty between Jacob's great-grandfather and the Cullens.

I sat down. "Holy crap," I muttered.

Alice's eyes glazed over. Edward looked at her, his brow furrowed. "I can't see anything," Alice gasped. "Are you sure you weren't just hallucinating?" she asked.

I glared at her. "I know what I saw."

Carlisle walked over to me. "Start over, what did you see?"

I took a deep breath. "I was hanging out with Jake. He was working on his car. He sort of…kicked the passenger's door and left this huge dent. It was really weird, but I didn't think too much of it. I started joking around with him and then we started wrestling. I was totally winning, but Jake wasn't giving up. He noticed my ring and I told him that I was engaged. He started to get really angry, and then his friend, Embry showed up and told me I should leave."

I paused, remembering. "He smelled really weird; both of them did actually. I went to the meadow and then Laurent found me."

Edward growled. "What was he doing out here?"

My eyes narrowed. "He said he was here as a favour for Victoria."

Alice sat down next to me. "Victoria?" she asked.

I nodded. "Apparently, she's very upset with Edward about James." Edward hissed. "She figures that since Edward killed James, she should kill me. A mate for a mate."

Carlisle and Edward shared an intense look. "I didn't even realize she was still in the area. Her scent led south before we lost her," Edward explained.

"Well it appears that she's back. Laurent said she was taking a more direct approach, whatever that means."

"What happened next?" Carlisle asked.

I thought back. "I started strategizing, you know, figuring out the best way to deal with him, when I realized we were being watched. I looked around and I saw these _huge _wolves. I mean, they must've been at least eight feet tall! They were standing there, staring at us, when one of them jumped out into the meadow, growling at Laurent. I'm pretty sure that's when I decided it would be a good time to leave." I cracked a pathetic smile at my engrossed audience. "Laurent bolted and the wolves started chasing him. They were so _fast_, way too fast to be normal wolves. I think they could've outrun you, Edward."

"Cool!" Emmett bellowed. Edward rolled his eyes and Rosalie smacked him.

Carlisle tapped his lips thoughtfully. "That does sound like them. This isn't good. We've been living under the assumption that the wolves had died out. Why would they be back now?" he pondered.

"Maybe because you guys came back," I said without thinking. I blushed as every eye turned to me. "Well, I mean…Jacob told me that the wolves existed to protect their land from vampires. It would make sense for them to die out after you left. Now that you're back, it must have triggered some kind of mutation…" I drifted off, thinking. "Yeah, that would make sense. Two of the boys started to smell weird a few months ago."

"A few months ago?" Edward asked.

I nodded. "The first time I went to La Push, I noticed a weird scent. I didn't think too much of it, but then Jacob's scent started to change. Do you remember, at the dance?"

Edward's brow furrowed. "I thought I smelled something, but I didn't connect it to the wolves. It was too faint. How can _you _tell?" he asked.

I flipped my hair back, smirking. "I guess my nose works better than yours."

Edward frowned. A worried look passed over his face and his already pallid skin seemed to pale even more. He looked down and held up my ring in his hands. "Oh no."

I looked at the ring. "What's wrong?" I asked.

"If Jacob _has _changed, it's a certainty that he knows about us by now, but he also knows that you're engaged to me. He thinks you're a normal human, Bella."

I didn't get it. He saw my confusion and probably heard a few confused thoughts from his family.

"Our treaty is very specific. The wolves won't attack or expose us so long as we refrain from biting a human. That's _bite_, not kill. If Jacob believes that Bella is going to be changed into a vampire, they might instigate an attack."

I paled. "Oh, crap." I stood up and began to pace the room. "I guess…I'll just tell him. They can't attack you if they know you aren't going to bite me, right?" I looked at Carlisle imploringly.

Carlisle frowned. "Would you be willing to tell them?"

"Of course! So I'm a hundred and ten and have a pair of retractable claws! In this town, that's not even bordering on weird."

The mood in the room brightened immediately; even Rosalie smiled.

"We should discuss it with them as soon as possible," Edward said.

Carlisle nodded. "Perhaps Bella could speak to Billy Black. He seems to be the most reasonable choice for negotiation."

I remembered Billy's superstitions and how he urged Jacob to tell me to break up with Edward. I wasn't sure _reasonable _was in Billy Black's vocabulary.

"I'll talk to him," I said. "He'll listen to me." I wasn't so sure about that, but it felt like the right thing to say. My eyes drifted to the clock on the wall. "Damn! I have to get home. Charlie's going to be starving."

Edward eyes narrowed. "You shouldn't have to cook for him all the time," he said.

I rolled my eyes as I headed out the door. "I'd rather cook than have every firefighter in Forks in my kitchen. Honestly, I don't know how he survived all these years." I turned around and waved. "I'll see you tonight."

-

Edward's POV

_I can't believe those stupid dogs are- _Rosalie.

_This is so unusual- _Carlisle.

_I hope this doesn't turn into a fight- _Esme.

_WHY CAN'T I SEE THEM_?!

"Alice!" I yelled, putting my hands to my head. "Stop thinking so loud."

_Sorry._

I took a deep breath. "That is unusual, though."

The rest of my family looked at Alice and I. "What did we miss?" Carlisle asked.

"I don't understand why I can't see the wolves," Alice said, pouting.

Carlisle nodded his head, his eyes going up to the ceiling. "That _is _strange."

_Something to do with their transformations, perhaps? Or maybe…because she's never encountered something like this…_

"That might be it," I said. "It might have something to do with their transformations," I explained. "Alice hasn't encountered them before. Maybe her visions of them will become clearer as time goes on or maybe not."

Carlisle nodded. "It's possible."

My cell phone began to ring. I took it out, checking the caller ID. "Bella?" I answered.

"_You need to come to my house. You're going to want to see this."_

"What's wrong?" I asked, looking to Alice.

Her eyes glazed over and she shrugged. "I didn't see anything."

"I'll be over in a minute. Wait, where's Charlie?"

"_He's downstairs, eating. I'm in my room. Can you hurry up? I don't want to be alone."_

That was strange. "I'll be right there." We hung up and I turned to my family. "I'm going to see Bella. Something's wrong."

"I'll come with you," Alice said. I nodded. "We'll be back soon." The others nodded as Alice and I took off into the forest. We made it to Bella's place in record time. I growled as I realized what Bella had wanted me to see…or rather, _smell_.

Alice and I climbed the tree next to her window and headed inside. Bella was pacing back and forth.

She looked up as we approached. "A vampire was in my house…in my _room_! Charlie was downstairs all afternoon, but the scent isn't old. Alice, couldn't you see this?"

Alice looked stunned. Her thoughts were a whirl of guilt and panic. Bella seemed to realize that she was being unfair. "Hey, it's okay. No one was hurt. I'm just worried."

Alice settled down. "I don't think whoever it was had any intensions to hurt you. I would have definitely seen that. I'll keep a closer eye on Charlie, though."

I noticed Bella shift uncomfortably. "What is it?" I asked.

She bit her lip. "I'm just worried," she admitted. "I don't like Charlie being involved in all of this. Once we finish high school, we have to leave, and soon."

I nodded. "Of course, anything to keep him safe."

"Good. Now, about the treaty with the werewolves…?" she trailed off and smiled. "That gets funnier every time. Can you imagine that I thought this town would be _boring_?"

I gave her a tight smile. "You have a way of attracting excitement."

"I do indeed," she answered. "Now, you want to-"

"Bella!" Charlie interrupted her. "Phone for you!" he called.

She sighed. "I'll be right down!" She turned to Alice and me. "Wait here. I'll be up in a minute." She raced down the stairs. I sat down on her bed as we waited. "Hello? Oh, _hi Billy_," she said loudly. I stiffened and listened closely. "No, there's no problem. Actually, we were going to come over to discuss things with you tonight." She paused. "It's not what you think Billy, believe me. Is Jacob alright?" She paused again. When she answered, it was in a harsh whisper. "Oh, give it up Bill; I know he was in that field with the other wolves. We've all been keeping secrets, so don't get pissed at me." She paused again. "I'll see you at 7:00. Don't be late." She hung up.

I could feel her urge to stomp up the stairs, but she resisted for Charlie's sake. "Everything alright?" I asked.

She frowned. "Billy wants to see you at the borderline between your lands at 7:00 p.m. tonight. We should get moving if we want to make it."

I nodded. "I'll call the others. Are you sure you want to tell them?"

She rolled her eyes. "If it'll solve this stupid misunderstanding, it's the best option."

Alice frowned. "I can't see how this is going to go down. We should bring Jasper. He can keep everyone calm."

"Good idea," Bella agreed.

I took out my cell phone and told Carlisle where to meet us. He agreed to bring Jasper, but kept the rest of the family at home. We didn't want to appear too threatening.

I led Bella and Alice to the edge of our territory. Bella sniffed the air expectantly and seemed to be trying to locate the dividing. She turned back and waved just as I heard the sounds of Carlisle and Jasper's thoughts. Sure enough, the two of them appeared not a minute later.

I checked my watch. We still had almost ten minutes. I began to hear the faraway thoughts of Quileute Elders, Billy Black, Quil Ateara sr. and Harry Clearwater. "They're coming." More thoughts began to filter through. These ones were not as pleasant. The loudest ones seemed to be coming from Jacob Black.

"Jacob seems to be very upset with me. I'm not sure his father would be too pleased to learn that his son has picked up such vulgar words," I said, trying to lighten the mood.

"I'm sure he gets some of it from me," Bella stated. I felt a small bit of jealousy strike me. Jasper looked at me, confused. I shrugged and tried to focus on the confrontation.

"Holy…here they come," Bella gasped.

I looked out into the forest and saw the distant shapes of the Quileute Elders and the wolves.

They were much larger than I remembered.

Jasper shifted uncomfortably. His thoughts were filled with strategies. He didn't think it was smart to leave half the family at home. If this turned into a fight, we would have no way to warn them.

Bella seemed to sense his discomfort. "Relax, Jacob will listen to me."

Quil Ateara pushed Billy's wheelchair over the forest floor, and stopped a few meters away from us. They were brave. Of course, if I had five giant wolves on my side, I'd be feeling pretty much invincible.

I motioned to Carlisle that it was now or never. Carlisle stepped forward and nodded at Billy. Billy didn't nod back. His dark brown eyes were glued to Bella's face. I could hear the worry in his thoughts.

"I believe there has been a misunderstanding…" Carlisle began.

-

I'm so sorry this took so long. I've been writing and writing, but it's just so difficult. I've got three different stories on fanfiction, not to mention the novel I'm writing for school. I'm just feeling a little overloaded.

On a lighter note, I want to wish everyone his or her Happy Holidays. (I say holidays because I seem to have people reading this from all over the world, which is totally awesome! Hello people from Denmark!) I only have two more days left of school! I'm going to be eighteen the day after Christmas! Whoopee!

Catch you later, oh faithful readers.


	14. Chapter 14

Wolverine

I'm a horrible person for leaving you hanging. Darlene10104 even threatened to sick Jasper on me.

Th-h-ypergurl - not only do I love your name, I'm also thankful that you think my story isn't moving too quickly. I was worried about that.

I had a lot of trouble figuring out how to make the wolves react to Bella. That and I went to see New Moon with my grandmother! It was so epic! Did anyone else get chills when Aro leaned over Bella and hissed her name? I did. Michael Sheen is a brilliant actor!

Happy birthday to me!

-

_"I don't die easy. For real, that is. Gettin' a lot o' practice at fakin' it though."_

-

Bella's POV

"_I believe there has been a misunderstanding…" Carlisle began._

I brushed past him and marched up to Billy. "It's not what you think, alright? I can explain everything."

The biggest, black-furred wolf suddenly ran back into the woods. A shiver went up my spine and my hair stood on end. A second later, Sam Uley stepped out from behind a tree and crossed his arms.

"Okay, start explaining."

Oh, crap…vapour lock.

I'd never been good at public speaking. I opened my mouth and then closed it. I couldn't think of any way to begin.

"Could I…maybe talk to Jacob?"

"He doesn't want to talk to you."

Wow, anger clears up vapour lock. Who knew?

I narrowed my eyes at the russet-brown wolf. "Oh, you don't, huh? And why is that?"

Jacob's eyes darted to my ring, and then to Edward.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, don't be such a racist."

He growled lowly in my direction. Edward took a step forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. This only made Jacob angrier. "He's young, Bella, unstable."

I could almost hear Jacob's mental shout of, _'I'll show you unstable', a second before he launched himself at Edward._

In half that time, I had him on the ground.

Jacob's wolf-eyes were wide as they stared at the sharp claws just inches from his face. My left hand was wrapped around his throat and my knees dug into his enormous chest.

"Jacob," I said, trying to stay calm. "I didn't come here to start a fight. I'm here to resolve a misunderstanding. So chill out!" I let my claws sink back into my knuckles and backed away. I looked at Billy's wide eyes. "I told you it's not what you think. I'm not in any danger when I'm around them and nobody's planning to bite me. That wouldn't work anyway," I added.

I saw that the wolves were still frozen from my attack on Jake. They looked at my hands wearily and Jacob got to his feet…all four of them. Sam unfolded his arms and stepped forward. "What are you?"

I felt Jasper send out a wave of calm over us. I took a deep breath. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" Sam asked. I could sense his distrust.

"Sam," Billy scolded. "Let her speak." I saw his dark eyes were filled with wonder.

Sam grudgingly backed off.

"Thank you," I said. "Like I said, I don't know what I am, but I can tell you what I can do if it means you'll leave the Cullens alone."

I looked at Billy. Even from his wheelchair, I could sense the power he held over the others. He nodded. "We don't want a fight anymore than you do." A few of the wolves rolled their huge eyes. Sam shot them a withering glare and they straightened up.

I sighed. "I was born in 1901." I watched as my audience stiffened. Billy nodded his face curious. "I was relatively normal until my eleventh birthday. That was when I got these." I held up my hands and let my claws come out. "Pretty cool, huh?" I smirked.

I saw Billy's eyes twinkle in amusement, but other than that, no one responded.

My claws went back into my hands and I folded them behind me. "Your treaty is intact and it will stay intact. There's no reason for any fighting."

Suddenly, something occurred to me. I straightened up and assessed the wolves.

"Actually…there is a reason to fight, only not with the Cullens. I'm sure you're aware of the murders in Seattle."

The Quileute Elders exchanged a meaningful glance. "What are you implying, Bella?" Billy asked.

I looked back and caught Edward's look of understanding. He glanced at Carlisle and then back at me. He nodded very subtly.

"We're under the impression that the murders are being committed by several vampires."

The wolves became noticeably agitated. I waited for them to calm down before I continued.

"This wouldn't necessarily be our concern. There are others who are supposed to take care of problems like this, but it's gotten a little too close to home. One of them was in my room this afternoon."

Jacob's huge wolf-eyes widened. Billy frowned at Sam. Sam seemed stunned. The wolves' agitation returned full-force. I saw Edward cock his head to the side from the corner of my eye. He seemed fascinated.

"Am I correct in assuming you were able to kill Laurent? The vampire from this afternoon?"

"Yeah, and we saved your life, too," Sam answered.

I put my hands on my hips and glared at him. "Don't get so full of yourself. I could've taken him, no sweat."

"Than why didn't you?"

"I was a little distracted by the giant dogs that snuck up on me," I spat, before forcing myself to calm down. "Can you shut up for a minute? I'm trying to make a point."

Sam gave me a superior smile, but wisely shut his mouth.

"I don't want to see anyone else hurt, and I think it would be beneficial if you guys would help us out with this whole Seattle mess."

"You're asking us to team up?" Sam asked in disbelief.

I shrugged. "The enemy of my enemy is my friend…or at the very least, a temporary ally. It doesn't seem very honourable for you to put your own prejudices over the safety of Seattle's citizens, now does it?"

Sam snorted, but I could tell he was interested.

"I think it's a good idea."

I almost jumped. I wasn't used to hearing Jasper speak. I glanced back at him. Alice was looking up at him. Her eyes were narrowed. Edward seemed to be mulling over what he said. He nodded absently.

I looked back in time to see Sam and Billy sharing a look. Sam's eyes narrowed and he didn't seem too pleased about it, but he nodded his head.

"Maybe we could work something out. I'm not going to make any guarantees, though," Sam said.

"That's fine," Carlisle answered. He seemed relieved that there would be no fight that day. "We don't want you to feel obligated." He shot me a stern glare. I grinned at him, not feeling the least bit guilty. He sighed, defeated. "Thank you for being so understanding about all of this. We'll leave now."

Billy nodded at him and allowed Quil Sr. to wheel him away. I turned around and started to run home with the Cullens, before remembering that I was supposed to be in my room. I sighed and waved goodbye as I raced home before Charlie noticed I was missing.

-

Edward's POV

We headed inside and were warmly greeted by the rest of the family.

"Did everything go alright?" Esme asked Carlisle.

"Was there any fighting?" Emmett asked.

"Bella had to pin Jacob Black down, but other than that, it was peaceful," Alice answered. She was much happier now that she could _see _again. Her proximity to the wolves had blinded her.

"Did she show them her claws?" he asked eagerly.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. They've agreed not to attack us."

_Damn, that kind of sucks. I was hoping for a fight._

"Of course you were, Emmett," I said. I remembered what Bella had done with some awe. It had never occurred to me that the wolves could be helpful in tracking down the Seattle vampires. Even if all they did was to make sure that none of them got near Bella's home, it would still be something to be grateful for. "You may just get your wish, though not exactly to fight _against _them."

Emmett looked confused.

I grinned as I explained what Bella had asked. I didn't even need to read his mind to know that Emmett was interested. His eager grin said it all.

Jasper's thoughts suddenly caught my attention.

"You can't honestly believe it's like that. There's no reason."

I heard the annoyed thoughts of my family and realized I would have to explain.

"Jasper thinks the Seattle killings are being done by an army of newborns. It isn't reasonable, though," I argued.

"It does make sense, though. Obviously whoever is doing this is aware that newborns can be useful in wars," Jasper defended.

"There aren't any wars in Seattle. What possible reason would someone have to make an army?" I turned to Alice automatically.

Her eyes squinted and she lightly traced her temple. "I'm not sure. It's like…" I witnessed several confusing flashes of the future. I frowned along with her. "It's like someone is changing their mind very quickly," she finished.

"Uncertainty?" Carlisle prodded. I heard his mind trying to figure out a logical reason for an army to be built in Seattle. There wasn't one, of course. There were no vendettas or population problems that would cause a fight.

For a reason I couldn't fathom, I suddenly thought of James.

Jasper sensed my sudden fury and looked over at me in concern. "What's wrong?"

"James," I growled.

"It's not him. He's dead, remember?" Alice soothed.

"Victoria isn't," I said flatly.

Esme gasped. Her thoughts immediately turned to Bella. She already loved her like a daughter. The thought of that red-haired demon getting anywhere near her was terrifying.

"Alright," Carlisle interrupted. "Let's see if I understand this correctly. Victoria is creating an army of newborns in Seattle, one of which broke into Bella's home. Why would she do that?"

"To see if she could get past my visions?" Alice asked. Her tone was wounded, as if it were her fault that Victoria was so horrible.

My cell phone rang. I checked the I.D. and saw that it was Bella again.

"Oh, what now?" I asked irritably.

"_Edward?_" Bella asked. "_I don't know if this has any merit in figuring out what's happened, but I was just checking my dresser…half my clothes are gone._"

"You think he stole your clothes?" I asked. Confusion coloured my thoughts as I tried to reason out why a vampire would steal someone's clothing…unless it wasn't the clothes he was after. "Your scent," I breathed. I had to hand the phone to Alice before I crushed it. I felt Jasper try to sooth my sudden rage, but it was far too great for him.

Alice nodded her head. "Absolutely, I'll have some pyjamas laid out for you when you get here." She hung up and turned to me. "Bella's coming to sleep over. Do you want to drive her?" she asked.

"Yes," I said, snatching my keys off the end table. I stormed into the garage and got into my car. Bella still hated the Volvo, but she would just have to deal with it tonight. I raced out into the darkness and pulled up to Bella's house in record time. She and Charlie were arguing in the living room. He didn't want her to leave.

"For god's sake Charlie, I'm eighteen! Even if we were going to do anything like that, which we _aren't_, it's perfectly legal!"

I knocked loudly. I didn't have the patience to be diplomatic with Charlie this evening.

"That's him. I'll see you tomorrow, alright?"

Charlie made one last effort to convince her to stay before she opened the door and gave me a pained smile. Charlie glared at me as I led her outside. I shut the door behind me and listened to Charlie's confused thoughts. Usually, I was more polite than he deserved. It almost worried me how he would respond when he found out Bella and I were engaged.

I smiled absently as I thought about that. I climbed behind the wheel and drove back home. Bella didn't seem to want to speak. I trusted that Alice would look after her.

I felt much better when we arrived at my home. We walked inside and Bella was instantly enveloped in an embrace from Esme.

"I'm sorry about this, Bella. Is there anything you need?" she asked.

"I'm fine," she said, "A little freaked out, but that seems to be my natural state nowadays." She laughed half-heartedly.

I didn't smile.

"We think Victoria is creating the newborns," I told her.

Bella's eyes bugged out and her heartbeat accelerated. "Victoria?"

I nodded solemnly and Bella's face went blank.

"Sam called while you were out." Carlisle's statement caught my attention. "They've agreed to meet with us tomorrow evening, to train."

"That's good," Bella said, coming out of her daze. "I don't like being at a disadvantage. How many newborns are we talking about anyway?"

Automatically, I turned to Alice. Her eyes became distant, but she relaxed slightly. I read her mind. "Around twenty, their numbers keep changing."

Bella looked at me. "Why?"

Jasper answered. "Newborns have little control. Most likely, they are fighting amongst themselves. You can reason with one or two new vampires, but armies often wipe themselves out before they even fight against any others."

Bella flinched. "Those poor people," she whispered.

I gawked at her. "_Those poor people_?" I repeated, stunned. "An entire army of vampires has been created to kill you, and probably us as well, and you feel _sorry_ for them?"

Bella crossed her arms and glared at me. "It's not their fault. They're being used to get to me. I can't help but feel bad about that."

Carlisle smiled. "Perhaps, if we get the chance, we could try to reason with some of them."

Jasper shook his head in disbelief of Carlisle's naivety, but Bella seemed somewhat appeased.

Alice tilted her head to the side. "I still don't understand why the Volturi haven't stopped them yet."

Carlisle frowned. "I almost hope they step in soon. I don't like being outnumbered like this."

"We could ask the Denalis for help," Esme suggested.

Jasper mulled that over. "That might work. Call them," he said.

Carlisle grabbed his phone and dialled. We waited, listening intently as he explained our situation, starting from the wolves to Victoria's involvement. I growled as I heard their response in his head. "Damn, Laurent," I snarled.

Bella looked at me, alarmed. "What?"

Carlisle hung up. "Laurent was closer to them than we thought, especially to Irina. They won't help us unless we kill the werewolves."

"No!" Bella protested.

"That's what I said," Carlisle explained. "I won't jeopardize our truce with them. We'll just have to do with the wolves and ourselves."

-

I am a sick, sadistic person for making you wait like this. I hope you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. I am on holiday after all.

I will be turning 18 at 1:13 p.m., Eastern Time, so keep an eye on your clocks! Yippy! I'll be able to vote and do scratch tickets!

Adieu faithful readers.


	15. Chapter 15

Wolverine

Thanks for the reviews, guys. I seem to be writing my other story a lot quicker, which means I have to pick up the pace on this one. It's finally snowing out here. Seriously, I'm in Canada, and this is the first decent snow we've had. Global warming is _awesome_!

This chapter's gonna be fun. I get to write a bunch of fight scenes.

-

"_More'n enough time t' do what I do best -- major damage!"_

-

Bella's POV

Going to school the next day was torturous. I could barely pay attention to the lectures. Luckily, none of the teachers called on me. I kept a pencil in my hand and pretended to take notes, when really I was planning the best way to take down an army of vampires.

God that sounded so lame.

When the final bell rang, I raced out to the parking lot and got into Edward's Volvo. I'd reluctantly allowed him to drive me, purely to put his mind at ease and not because I was starting to like the darn soccer mom car.

Edward and Alice strode across the lot looking like a couple of movie stars and climbed in next to me. Alice still had that miserable look on her face. She hated the fact that she couldn't _see _past Jacob and the rest of the wolves.

We drove straight out to the field where we'd decided to train. The rest of the Cullens were already there waiting for us.

Emmett grinned widely at me and Edward grumbled under his breath.

I glanced at him. "What's he thinking?"

Emmett yelled, "I'm thinking these puppies better hurry up! I want to see how tough you _really _are."

Edward rolled his eyes.

I grinned. "Count on it, toots," I taunted.

Emmett roared with laughter. Edward cocked his head to the side. "Well, what do you know," he muttered, a smile crossing his face. "It seems the wolves have been holding out on us."

Alice looked at him. "What do you mean?" she asked. I could sense her annoyance.

No one answered because just then, we saw them.

All _ten _of them.

My mouth dropped. "Holy crap!" I felt myself begin to grin. "We might just have a shot at this after all."

Edward smirked. "Indeed."

Carlisle stepped forward. "Greetings," he said.

"Thank you." Edward's flat voice startled me, and I realized he was speaking for Sam. I locked eyes with the largest wolf. Jacob stood next to him. "We will watch and listen," Edward continued, "But no more. That is the most we can ask of our self-control."

"That is more than enough," Carlisle answered. "My son, Jasper has experience in this area. He will teach us how they fight."

Sam tilted his enormous head. "They are different from you?" Edward questioned.

Carlisle nodded. "They are young; some are only days old. They will have no skill or strategy, only brute strength. Tonight their numbers stand at twenty; ten for us, ten for you."

A low rumble emitted from each wolf. "We are more than willing to take a larger half."

I rolled my eyes. "Men," I muttered, blowing my hair out of my eyes.

Carlisle smiled. "We'll see how it turns out."

"Thank you, we will watch."

Jasper unfroze and stepped closer to the wolves. He threw a nervous glance over his shoulder at Edward who nodded. Reluctantly, he turned his back on the wolves. "Carlisle's right, they'll fight like children. The most important things for you to remember are, don't let them get their arms around you, and don't go for the obvious kill. They'll be prepared for that. As long as you come from the side and keep moving, they'll be too confused to respond effectively. Emmett." Emmett stepped away from us with a huge smile. "Emmett will go first. He's the best example of a newborn attack."

Emmett's eyes narrowed. "I'll try not to break anything."

I sighed emotionally and wiped a fake tear from my eye. "They're just so precious when they're young."

Alice giggled. Edward cracked a smile. Emmett looked over to me. "Once I'm done with him, you're next."

I grinned. "Bring it on, baby boy."

Jasper smiled. "I _meant _that Emmett relies on his strength. He's very straightforward about the attack. The newborns won't be trying anything subtle either. Just go for the easy kill Emmett," Jasper told him, backing up a few steps. "Okay, now try to catch me."

Emmett charged forward, roaring like a bear. Jasper was much faster. My eyes darted around as they fought. Jasper dodged each of Emmett's lunges with graceful swiftness. Suddenly, Emmett froze. Jasper had him from behind, his teeth just an inch from Emmett's throat.

"Son of a bitch. Let's go again," Emmett insisted. His smile had disappeared.

"It's my turn," Edward protested.

They glared at one another before Emmett strode back to towards us. Edward took his place near Jasper. "Fine, but your girlfriend is dead-meat."

Edward growled.

I laughed. "Anything you say, kiddo." I clenched my hands and felt my claws move under my skin. "Are you guys gonna fight or what? I'm getting older over here!"

Edward shook his head in disbelief, and then took a fighting stance. They launched at each other. The fight was much more even than the last. Jasper had a century of experience, while Edward had his mind reading to guild him. Edward was slightly faster than Jasper, but Jasper used moves I vaguely remembered from my time in the First World War. Neither one seemed able to gain an advantage.

Eventually, Carlisle cleared his throat. Jasper laughed and took a step back. Edward straightened up and grinned at him. "Back to work," Jasper consented. "We'll call it a draw."

"My turn!" Emmett called, excited once again. He gave me a wicked grin that would probably scare a normal human half to death.

Luckily, I wasn't normal.

Edward shook his head and sighed. Several of the wolves shifted uncomfortably. I noticed Jacob's giant wolf-form tense. I grinned at him. "Don't worry Jakey! I'll be making jokes _long_ before he stops wailing." Then I laughed and darted away as Emmett tried to take a swipe at me.

I turned around and faced Emmett. He was tall and thick, like a bodybuilder. I knew that my _average _height and skinny arms must've made me look vulnerable.

Emmett stretched his arms out and grinned. I cracked my neck to the side and interlocked my fingers, stretching them out and loosening the tendons.

As I predicted, Emmett lunged first. I sidestepped him easily and twisted around, shooting my leg into his stomach. He grabbed my foot, tightening his grip until my bones creaked, and then he launched me across the field into a tree. The impact left a gaping hole in the ground. Splinters of wood imbedded themselves into my back, and dust made my eyes tear up, but I ignored that and got to my feet.

Playtime was over.

I allowed my claws to slink out through my knuckles and growled.

Emmett grinned. He wagged one finger in my direction. "Come and get me, kitty-cat."

"That's _Wolverine_ you koala bear!" I darted to the right, and then back again at my fastest speed. I saw out of the corner of my eye that the wolves were having trouble keeping up. I slashed at his arm with my claws and allowed my momentum to carry me forward until I was back to back with him. Emmett spun around and came at me from behind.

So predictable.

A half second before he could position himself for a win, I elbowed him in the stomach hard enough that he doubled over. I then grabbed him by his neck and smashed his hulking figure onto his back. He grunted and the skin on his cheek cracked. I held my claws directly over his face and smiled. "I think I win."

I released him and held out a hand to help him up. He sulked for a second before allowing me to pull him to his feet.

"Next time, you're going down."

I laughed. "Whatever you say, Emmy."

The training continued. None of the Cullens seemed too interested in fighting me, so I just stood there looking smug. Watching Esme fight was probably the hardest, whereas Alice vs. Jasper was worthy of America's Funniest Home Videos. Every time Jasper moved to attack her, Alice would see it a second before and move out of the way. Finally, she pinned him and planted a kiss on his neck. The wolves grumbled, unsettled by the display.

"It's good for them to learn some respect," Edward whispered.

The sun began to come up over the hillside, and I realized I hadn't slept in 24 hours. It didn't bother me, but it did make me wonder if we would be late for school.

"We'll be doing this tomorrow," Jasper said, as we finished. "Please feel free to watch again."

Edward glanced at Sam. "Good idea," he said. Quickly, before any of us had the chance to be annoyed with him, he explained, "Sam thinks it would be a good idea to become familiar to our scents, so they don't make mistakes later. If we could hold very still, it would make it easier for them."

"Certainly," Carlisle said.

The wolves rose up and marched into the field. They approached each of the Cullens, their noses wrinkling up now and then. Jacob's huge form approached me. I smiled at him. "Sorry about the whole tackling you thing."

The guttural growls from his throat were obviously laughter. He glanced over at Emmett and I laughed.

Curiosity suddenly took hold of me and I reached out to touch the fur of his neck. It was softer than I'd thought it'd be. Without warning, Jacob lurched forward and licked my face. I jerked back sputtering with laughter.

"Ew! Jake!" I yelled, swatting his arm. He swayed from the force of it and had to steady himself. He gave me a giant wolfy grin and stuck his tongue out. I rolled my eyes. "Boys!" I lamented.

I noticed the rest of the Cullens giving me perplexing looks. I shrugged. "I always wanted a dog."

Jake let out a few more grumbling laughs and shook his head. Then, as if a thought had occurred to him, he looked at me speculatively.

"No, she's not," Edward growled.

I looked at him sharply. "Are you talking about me?" I asked.

Jacob rolled his huge eyes and darted back into the forest. I stood there, confused until he ran back to us in his human form. "Why not? She's tough. She took down that big brother of yours."

Edward stepped forward threateningly. I placed a hand on both their chests. The contrast between them temperature wise was immense. "Now, now, no fighting. What's this all about?" I demanded.

Jacob looked down at me. "I was just thinking that you could come help us when we go after these newborn bloodsuckers."

"She's not going anywhere near them. She's the one their after," Edward scowled.

Jacob's eyes widened and his hand touched mine protectively. "She is? Why?"

Edward pulled me away from Jacob. _Gees, territorial much?_

I quickly explained. "These three vampires came to Forks a few months ago and two of them had encountered my grandfather. Unfortunately, Grandpa Victor is a total ass and they probably fought. James, the vampire, got his ass handed to him and when he smelled me, he realized we were the same…" I shook my head. "Whatever the hell we are, so he came after me, and the Cullens killed him, but his mate, Victoria is still hunting me, and she's the one who sent Laurent. Now, she's created a whole army just to kill me, which is _really_ pissing me off, by the way." I paused, running over what I just. "God," I turned to Edward. "My life kind of sucks, doesn't it?"

Edward stopped looking so miserable and actually smiled. "You definitely keep things interesting."

Jacob snickered. "So, if you're not fighting with us, where will you be?"

I was about to say, "With Edward, of course!" when he interrupted me.

"She's leaving town," he said.

I turned to him, furious. "Ex_cuse_ _me_? When did we decide this?"

Alice flitted in between us. "That's enough! We'll discuss this later."

I held up a finger. "Hold on a minute. You were just going to ship me off while you guys stormed Seattle? That's crazy! I can help, you know?"

Alice's eyes glazed over. Edward looked at her sharply. "Damn!" he whispered sharply.

I looked at her, confused. "What's the matter, Alice?"

"They're coming across the mountains in four days," Alice explained.

Jacob looked up. "You're sure?" he asked.

Alice glared at him. "Yes, I'm sure," she told him harshly. "They'll split up. Half will head your way, while the others will come to us. If we spread out, we should manage to get them all before they reach town."

The wolves looked at each other excitedly, and I suddenly wondered how they could understand each other. I'd have to ask Edward about it later.

Carlisle nodded. "We'll regroup tomorrow night." He checked his watch and frowned.

I sighed. "Back to purgatory," I muttered. Edward smiled. I looked over my shoulder as we began to leave. "I'll see you later, Jake. Get some sleep, alright?"

Jacob rolled his eyes but waved as he and his pack headed off to La Push.

"That was fun," I said as we climbed into Edward's car.

Edward sped home so that we could change our clothes. His expression was contemplative.

I looked at him, remembering my curiosity. "How do the wolves communicate with each other?" I asked him.

Edward frowned. "It's strange. Their minds are linked together. They kept drowning each other out while they were listening." He smiled suddenly. "You wouldn't believe the gossip they prattled on about. It was better than a soap opera. For instance, did you see the small, grey wolf there?"

I thought back, picturing the line of enormous wolves. I nodded.

He chuckled. "They take their legends so seriously. They believe that only the descendants of the former wolves will change."

My eyes narrowed in confusion. I sensed Alice shifting in the backseat. "So, someone who's _not_ a descendant changed?"

"Oh, she's a descendant alright. Her name is Leah Clearwater."

My brain froze, "Wait, girls can be wolves? I got the idea that only boys could change."

"So did they, but apparently there's a lot they don't know; like who Embry's father is."

I remembered the tentative boy I'd met in La Push.

"You see, his mother moved to La Push while she was pregnant with him. She's not Quileute, but when Embry joined the pack, well, it caused quite a commotion. The prime candidates for his father are Billy Black, Quil Ateara Sr., or Joshua Uley. All of them were married at the time. Now Sam, Jacob and Quil all wonder which of them has a half-brother. They'd all like to think it's Sam; his father was never much of a father."

I gawked at him. "You got all that in one night?"

He nodded. "The pack-mind is very complex, all of them thinking at the same time, but all separately. There's so much to read, like about imprinting." He frowned at this.

"What's that?" I asked.

He grimaced. "It's something like…love at first sight, only it's a thousand times stronger."

A flash of horror struck me. "Jacob didn't-"

"No," Edward was quick to reassure me. He seemed a little too pleased when I sighed in relief. "Sam has though. He's engaged to a girl name Emily." He suddenly looked sympathetic. "She had an unfortunate…accident."

I looked at him, not liking the change of tone. "What happened?"

He grimaced. "When Sam changed a year ago, Emily was standing too close."

"Is she alright?" I gasped, frightened.

He nodded. "She's alive, but she was badly injured. Sam hates himself for it. It's one of the reasons he hates us so much. If we'd never come back…"

"Forks would be a lot duller," I finished.

He gave me a tight smile. "Sam and Leah used to be a couple," he continued. "But the second Sam laid eyes on Emily, he was stuck. It broke Leah's heart, but she puts on a brave face. She makes life hell for the rest of the pack, though."

I winced in sympathy. "Poor Leah."

Edward's mouth turned down, but he didn't comment. We turned into the driveway and went inside to change our clothes for another day of school.

I frowned. Four days to go. Let the countdown begin.

-

I bought New Moon yesterday. I couldn't find the other books and I was really ticked off because of that. I also got the Twilight movie, which means I get to watch some deleted scenes! Whoop!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

I'll see you later.


	16. Chapter 16

Wolverine

Happy New Year, everyone!

I can't deny my fans the chance to see Bella kick some butt. In addition, I think I will have Sabertooth in this. It'll just be a cameo appearance, though. I'll explain why they don't seem to like each other. I loved writing a kick-ass Bella. Emmett really is a whiny little brat, isn't he?

I entered the "In The Dark" contest a few months ago. I didn't win, but I will be continuing the story, (as soon as I figure out where the hell I'm going with it).

If you've never seen The Watchmen, go out and rent it or buy it. You will never look at comic book movies the same way again.

-

"_I...don't like being nearly cut in half, bub...think __you__ would...?"_

-

Bella's POV

On the final day of our training, I came up with a plan.

I stood next to Edward, watching Jasper and Emmett's third fight of the night. I'd spent most of the afternoon conked out in the backseat of Edward's car. I was so tired that I hadn't even dreamed. When I woke up, I had an idea, one that would please Edward, but also pleased me.

The newborns would be coming the next day, at around 10:30 p.m. That meant I didn't have much time.

I leaned closer to Edward and mumbled to him. "I think you're right about me not fighting," I said.

It was enough to get a reaction out of him. He'd been sullen and tense ever since Tuesday. He looked over at me, hope in his eyes. The happiness dimmed a little as he saw my expression. "What's the catch?" he asked.

"Let me explain," I told him, aware of our audience even if they were polite enough not to stare. "The wolves smell bad to you, right?"

I heard Jacob snort from across the field, but I ignored that.

Edward nodded slowly.

"So, if I was surrounded by their scent, do you think any newborns would even _want _to come near me?"

He frowned. "You're not fighting with them," he ordered.

I kept myself from bristling. "I didn't mean _that_. I meant…maybe me and Jacob could set up a place for me to stay while the fighting's going on. His scent would repel the newborns…no offence."

"And?" Edward asked, raising an eyebrow.

"And…if any newborns _do _happen to come my way, I get first dibs," I said.

Edward mulled it over. "I'd still prefer it if you left town, but I suppose it's acceptable."

"Seth can watch her," Jacob said, appearing beside me in his human form. "We're leaving some of the younger kids at home, but Seth wants to get in on the action, even if it _is _just a babysitting job."

I poked him in the chest. "I do _not_ need to be babysat."

"I think it's a good idea," Edward said, grudging respect in his tone.

"Or, I could just go to Seattle tonight and kill them all myself," I said sarcastically.

Edward rolled his eyes. "Bella," he complained.

"Seth can give you updates on the fighting," Jacob said. "If it looks like somebody needs help, you could come out and help."

Edward glared at him, but I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "That's a fair compromise."

Edward seemed torn.

"Come on, they're all heading your way. I'll be fine. Me and Seth can set up a bonfire or something. You know, roast marshmallows, tell scary stories." I smirked. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"Don't tempt fate," Edward said, rolling his eyes.

"Sounds like a plan. I know a place we could hide her. It's a cave, plenty of shelter," Jacob said.

Edward nodded, reading his mind. "You can hear each other from thirty miles away?" he questioned.

Jacob snorted. "Three hundred, easily."

"Thirty miles?" I asked.

"Yeah," Jake said, pointing into the woods. "It's in that direction."

I looked out to where he was pointing. "Alright, see if you can keep up," I said. With that I took off.

"What?! Bella!" Jacob said. I heard his light footsteps behind me. I sped up.

"Which direction do I go now?" I yelled over my shoulder.

He looked back and forth. "Uh, it's a little off to your left."

I adjusted and kept running. Jacob's footsteps began to fall back. I felt a shiver go up my spine and a second later I heard him howl. I threw my head back and laughed, racing even faster. "Slowpoke!" I shouted. I smelled Jacob's faint scent and followed it to the cave. I leaned casually against the wall as Jacob appeared out of the forest in his human form. "Where've you been?" I asked, laughing.

Jacob snorted and shook his head. "I don't think any vamps will notice your scent. It's really weird by the way."

I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, that's what they tell me. Come on, let's go back." We began jogging back to the field. "So, Edward tells me you can read each other's minds?"

Jacob shrugged. "It's probably no different than what that blo- than what Edward does with you."

I smirked. "Edward can't read my mind. He only wishes."

Jacob looked at me, surprised. "Really? Why?"

I shrugged. "Carlisle says my brain works differently. He did some tests on me a few months ago. I'm immune to vampire venom."

Jacob looked at me, alarmed.

"Relax, none of them bit me. It was that other vampire. It started to work, but I healed so fast that it poured right out of me. It was really nasty to be honest."

"Did it hurt?"

I shook my head. "It throbbed a little bit, and I felt like I was really high."

Jacob chuckled. "You have experience with that?" he asked playfully.

I nodded. "Painkillers mostly. You kind of need them when your bones are slowly changing into an indestructible material."

Jacob fell silent after that and we ran back to the field.

-

Later that night, at around 9:00 p.m., we headed out to where Alice had seen them coming. As far as she could tell, nothing would go wrong. If the wolves needed any assistance, Seth and I would go. Everything was going to be fine.

I ran to the cave with Seth. He was smaller than the other wolves, with sandy fur. His oversized paws let me know how young he really was.

I gathered some twigs and branches and started a fire. I sat down at the mouth of the cave as Seth ran into the forest to shift. "Sorry about this," I told him when he sat down next to me.

He shrugged. "It's fine. They weren't going to let me fight anyway."

I took in his gangly form and shook my head. "Well, maybe we'll get lucky and one of those babies will come around here."

Seth smiled.

I opened my backpack and pulled out a comic book. "The fighting won't start for an hour. I needed something to entertain myself," I explained.

Seth's eyes widened. "Is that an addition of The Watchmen?" he asked, excitedly.

"Yeah, I bought the whole series in 1987. It was a big deal back then."

"I've seen the movie," Seth said.

I cringed. "Isn't it rated R?" I asked.

Seth blushed. "I skipped over the…sex parts. Jacob's the one who rented it. The store didn't I.D. him or anything," he finished excitedly. "I can't wait until I look twenty-one!" he exclaimed.

I laughed. "I used to wish the same thing, kiddo!"

Seth grinned. "So, you're really over a hundred years old?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Last time I checked. I try not to act my age, though."

"Thank God," Seth said, rolling his eyes.

I pulled out some chocolate bars. "And, since I don't gain weight, I can eat whatever I want. Here, pick one."

Seth took the Reese's cups and opened it. "So, what's the deal with the whole smiley-face thing?" he asked, opening the comic book to the first page.

I shrugged. "I heard it had something to do with the Comedian's idea of justice being a joke."

"Well, _that's_ uplifting," Seth said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah, the ending in the comic book is different than the movie, by the way," I told him. "I won't spoil it for you."

We sat for a while, reading. I checked my watch. "It's going to start soon. You might want to shift."

Seth grinned and raced into the forest. A shiver went up my spine and Seth's large wolf form walked back next to the cave. He closed his eyes, listening. He tensed and his paw scratched something into the dirt. "_NOW_."

I sat up straighter and watched him. He grinned at whatever he was seeing. I sighed, bored, and turned my face to the side.

A faint smell assaulted me and I jerked up. "Seth, I smell a vampire."

Seth's eyes opened and he looked at me, alarmed. His nose scrunched up and he turned. His low growl reverberated at the cave's entrance.

I sniffed the air, trying to pinpoint where it was coming from. Suddenly, something jumped on my back, knocking me down.

I remembered Jasper's advice with perfect clarity. My claws were out of my hands and buried in the chest of a blond newborn in less than a second. I kicked him off me and adjusted my stance. "Seth!" I called. I looked over and my mouth dropped in surprise.

Victoria.

She wasn't smiling, as she had in my nightmares. I could see the hate in her eyes. She stared right at me. The newborn backed toward her, clutching his chest. I spotted Seth getting to his feet. He backed toward me, snarling.

"Are you alright my darling?" Victoria asked the newborn in her high voice.

The newborn nodded, his fierce red eyes pinned on me.

"No, no, Riley," Victoria scolded. She touched his shoulder gently. "You kill the animal. The girl is mine."

I kept my eyes on Victoria, analyzing her every move. "Seth, can any of the others come?" I asked.

Seth shook his head.

"Alright," I said. "Just do what Jasper told you, and everything will be just fine," I told him softly.

He nodded.

I held my claws out threateningly. "Come and get me!" I shouted.

Victoria ran at me with catlike grace. We circled around each other. I lashed out and nicked her on the arm. She snarled in fury and dove at me. I dodged and sliced her leg. She stumbled as her leg crumbled under her weight. She adjusted her pose and turned around as it began to heal. I knew I wouldn't have much time. Her furious eyes were still on me. I heard a pained howl and saw Seth fall to the ground. He got to his feet, limping on his front paw.

I shouldn't have turned away. Victoria took the opportunity to pin me to the ground. Her lips curled up and I saw the smile I'd been dreading. I tried to wiggle out of her grasp, but she dug her nails into the skin of my arms. She latched her teeth onto my neck and I felt a faint stinging sensation. Her long hair obscured my vision. I suddenly felt dizzy and I wondered how quickly my body could regenerate my blood. I'd never gotten the chance to test that.

I was about to try once more to get her off me, when suddenly her weight was lifted off of me. I gasped and rolled over onto my hands and knees. My vision was blurry as I tried to see my rescuer. Suddenly I smelled a familiar scent and got to my feet.

"Victor!" I gasped. I surveyed my surroundings and realized that the blond newborn was badly injured. Riley had a missing arm and several fingers from his remaining hand were gone. Seth lunged at him and his long teeth tore into his neck.

I cringed and looked at Victoria. She was growling and clutching her left arm which was hanging precariously on her shoulder. I didn't waste any time and jumped on her back while she was distracted. One of my claws slashed cleanly through her neck, effectively decapitating her. I did the same with her arms and legs, tossing them into the fire pit.

Seth carried several pieces of Riley to the fire pit, tossing them in. If I was reading his expression right, he was smug. I grabbed a dismembered hand, trying not to shudder, and helped him. Once I was finished, I had no choice but to look at my grandfather.

He stood 6'3". His long brown hair was tied back and his bushy eyebrows rested heavily over his blue eyes. He grinned, exposing his white teeth and elongated canines. His arms were crossed and he was leaning against the mouth of the cave.

I rolled my eyes. "Go ahead, start gloating."

He grinned wider. "Now don't get so pissed, I just saved your ass."

I turned on him and put my hands on my hips. "I was handling it!" I grumbled. He threw his head back and laughed. I felt the urge to stick my tongue out at him, but he was right. He _had_ saved me. "Thank you."

He tilted his head back and forth as if to say, "Not a problem."

I turned my attention to Seth. "Is it over?" I asked.

Seth seemed annoyed by my interruption, but he nodded. He ran into the forest and came back in his human form. He looked at Victor curiously. "Who's he?" He sniffed. "He smells like you."

Victor's eyes widened for a moment and then he grinned. "What do you know, the Quileutes are still changing, huh?"

Seth looked at him with wide eyes. I quickly explained, "He's my grandfather." Seth nodded. "You'd better head home. I'm going to go find Edward." Seth waved as he took off.

Once he was gone, I turned to Victor. "What are you doing here?"

Victor grinned. "Aside from saving you life, you mean?" I said nothing. He sighed and rolled his eyes, taking a step toward me. I backed up. He frowned. "I'm not gonna hurt you, baby girl," he said. I stared at him. He rolled his eyes again. "_Alright_! I was just coming to see if you would talk to me."

I sighed. "Maybe, seeing as you saved my life. I probably need to explain some things to you, though."

He grinned again. "You mean, the fact that you've been hanging out with vampires and shape-shifters?" he asked.

"I'm actually engaged to a vampire," I said, hoping to get a reaction. I wasn't disappointed. Victor's eyes widened comically. I tried not to smirk at his discomfort. "I need to go find my fiancée. If you want to talk, come visit me sometime. Don't scare my foster father," I warned. I turned away from him and headed off into the forest, searching for Edward's scent. Eventually, I found it and followed the trail. I smelled the scents of over a dozen burning vampires. My nose wrinkled in distaste. I stepped out of the forest and into the field.

My family was waiting for me, as well as a newborn. I stared, confused. Her bright red eyes locked onto mine and she shrieked. Jasper stood over her threateningly and she jerked back. Her nails dug into the ground. Her hair was chin length and black and she barely looked fifteen. It was hard to tell if she was beautiful. Her face was twisted with rage and thirst. I felt a shudder of remorse go through me. It was my fault she was changed.

"Bella?" Edward asked. I saw worry on his face. He sped over to me. "We need to leave."

"It's too late," Alice said. She sounded defeated.

I couldn't begin to understand what was wrong. "What's with the girl?" I asked, indicating to the newborn. The girl growled at me again and Jasper growled back. Edward positioned himself so that he was in between myself and the girl.

"She surrendered," Edward answered. "Jasper doesn't like it, but Carlisle wants to try to reason with her."

"So, what are we doing here, then?" I asked.

Edward frowned. He looked to the left and pulled me toward Alice and Emmett. He stood in front of me protectively. "The Volturi have finally arrived."

I felt a flicker of fear shoot though me. The threat of the mysterious Volturi had hovered over us ever since we'd first read about the Seattle killings. I remembered Edward telling me about their leader, Aro.

"Hmm," a dead voice murmured from the darkness. I saw a pale girl shrouded in a black cloak, and four larger figures.

"Welcome, Jane," Edward said in a cool voice.

The shapes separated from the darkness and stepped closer to us. I could just make out Jane's angelic features underneath her cowl. Her eyes drifted over the pale faces of the Cullens. Edward was still in front of me. Jane's eyes landed on the newborn. "It would be helpful if you could provide me with an explanation, Carlisle Cullen."

-

I'm a demon for leaving you like this, but, seeing as I updated so quickly, I think I'm entitled to do so. For those of you who liked the cameo from Sabertooth, he'll be back soon. I figured you'd prefer it if Bella did the actual killing instead of having her be rescued like the archetypal damsel in distress. I figured since she had so much trouble with James, she'd need Victoria distracted before she could kill her. Originally, I wasn't going to have him come in until later.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

I'll catch you later.


	17. Chapter 17

Wolverine

Hello, everyone! It's 6:00 a.m., Monday morning and I'm raring to go! Caffeine is awesome!

Xavier2163, Marc, and SnowCharms all scolded me for making Bella appear too weak. It's kind of true. I'm sorry about that. Let's just assume that since James and Victoria were such old and gifted fighters, they had an advantage. Bella probably would have been able to beat them on her own, but the men in her life are just so stubborn about protecting her!

And, yeah, I _am _evil! Mwahaha!

(It's now 7:00 a.m. I just checked the buses. _They're_ _not running today!_ Whoopee!

It's my second day of writing this chapter, and once again, my buses are cancelled!)

-

"_No time to rest. Somebody out there is out to do unto me and it behoves me to do unto him first!"_

-

Edward's POV

_Jane's eyes landed on the newborn. "It would be helpful if you could provide me with an explanation, Carlisle Cullen."_

"She has surrendered," Carlisle answered.

Jane looked at him. Her thoughts told me she was confused. I was extremely aware of Bella standing behind me. She stayed quiet, and I was grateful for that. If we could just keep their attention on the newborn, they might not even notice her. "Surrendered?" Jane asked. Her dull voice became more expressive.

"I gave her the option," Carlisle said.

"There are no options for those who break the rules." I felt Bella stiffen behind me. I could predict the reason. She felt _sorry _for the girl. How she could pity the ones who were created to kill her was beyond me.

"That's in your hands," Carlisle told her. He didn't want to appear presumptuous. He was quite aware of Jane's power. "As long as she was willing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to destroy her. She was never taught."

"That is irrelevant."

"As you wish," Carlisle acquiesced.

Jane stared at Carlisle. Her childish thoughts suddenly became wry with amusement. "Aro hoped we would get far enough west to see you, Carlisle. He sends his regards."

Carlisle nodded. "I would appreciate it if you would convey mine to him."

"Of course," Jane said. She smiled. It was disturbing, as were her thoughts. She and her twin had been changed at far too young an age. Their minds never matured passed to age of adolescence. Their childish features made them seem weak and vulnerable, yet they were anything but.

Jane's eyes circled the clearing and landed on the smoking pile of vampire ashes. The scent of it wasn't pleasant. "It appears you have done our work for the most part." Her eyes flickered to the newborn. "Just out of professional curiosity, how many were there? They left quite a wake of destruction in Seattle."

"Eighteen including this one," Carlisle answered.

_Eighteen? The fire is far too small for that number._

Two of the cowled figures behind her exchanged a glance. _Dangerous,_ their thoughts screamed.

"Eighteen?" she thought aloud.

"All brand new. They were unskilled," he said dismissively.

"_All_?" she questioned, her voice turning sharp. _He had better not be lying to me._

"He's not," I answered her thoughts. Jane's bright red eyes flicked over to me. She looked at my face, and her thoughts told me she believed me. I nodded slightly and she turned back to Carlisle. She found my mind reading ability intrusive and she wanted to leave.

"You there," she asked, pointing to the newborn. "What is your name?"

The newborn's thought of _Bree_, flickered into her head before she glared balefully at her. I set my face into stone as I realized what was about to happen. Jane smiled sweetly at the girl.

I felt Bella flinch as Bree let out a scream of agony. Luckily, Bella had the sense of mind to censor her reaction. I could almost see her gnawing on her lip.

Finally, it was quiet.

"Your name?" Jane asked. I detected a hint of amusement in her voice and her thoughts.

"Bree!" the girl gasped. I flinched as Jane once again unleashed her power on the girl. Bella held her breath. Her heart pounded in her chest. I hoped no one could hear it over Bree's pained screams.

"She'll tell you anything you want to know," I said, gritting my teeth. "You don't have to do that."

Jane looked up, and I got a full glimpse of the humour on her face. She grinned at me. "Oh, I know." She looked back at the young vampire. "Bree!" she said, her voice cold again. "Is his story true? Were there eighteen of you?"

The girl lay panting. The side of her face pressed against the ground. "Nineteen, eighteen, I don't know." She moaned, expecting more pain. "The others kept getting into fights."

"Who is your creator?"

We couldn't answer truthfully. None of us knew for sure. I'd speculated that Victoria had, and it was very likely given her creativity, but we just didn't know. None of the newborns had ever seen her face.

The young girl, Bree, shook her head. "I don't know. Riley never said her name. I didn't see that night. It was so dark and it hurt." Bree shuddered and I flinched as I was reminded of the agony of the transformation. "Riley didn't want us to be able to think of her. He told us our thoughts weren't safe."

Jane's eyes flickered to me, and then back to the girl. "Tell me about this, Riley. Why did he bring you here?"

"Riley told us we had to destroy the strange yellow eyes here. He said it would be easy. He said that the city was theirs and they were coming to get us," she babbled. "He said once they were gone all the blood would be ours."

"It looks like Riley was wrong about the easy part," Jane said flatly.

Bree nodded. She sat up gingerly, awaiting a painful rebuttal. "I don't know what happened. We split up, but the others never came. Then Riley left, and he didn't come back to help us."

Darn, did that mean there was another vampire out there?

"And then it was so confusing and everyone was in pieces." She shuddered, remembering. I felt a strange sympathy for the young girl. Bella must be rubbing off on me. "I was afraid. I wanted to run away. That one," She pointed at Carlisle. "said they wouldn't hurt me if I stopped fighting."

"Aw, but that wasn't his gift to offer, young one," Jane explained, her voice oddly gentle. "Broken rules demand a consequence." She turned and looked at Carlisle. "Are you sure you destroyed all of them?"

Carlisle nodded. "They split up, but we managed to get them all."

Jane smiled. "I've never heard of a coven escaping such a catastrophe. I'm impressed." The shadows behind her nodded their agreement, although they were not pleased. "I am still concerned about the creator. Are you sure it was a woman?" she asked Bree.

Bree's _thought _that Riley spoke of a woman, but she wasn't sure. She cringed back as she shook her head, expecting more pain.

"Her name was Victoria."

I almost jumped as Bella spoke. A rush of desperation ran through me as she stepped calmly forward and addressed Jane. The Volturi Guard's thoughts became confused. I saw them take in every one of Bella's features and concluded that she was human, but at the same time, they caught a whiff of her strange scent.

To add to my befuddlement, Bella shed her somewhat coarse attitude and curtsied right in the middle of a group of vampires. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Isabella Logan. I do apologize if you're confused. I'm sure you're aware that I'm not human even though I appear to be." She smiled pleasantly, almost looking embarrassed. "I seem to cause quite a bit of trouble for vampires." She said the last word so casually that my mouth almost dropped open. "Victoria created the newborns to try to kill me. Edward and her mate, James had a bit of an altercation that ended with James dead. She felt it was appropriate that she avenge him by making Edward miserable." She shook her head, as if contemplating the vampire's sanity. The rest of us were contemplating hers.

Jane wasn't used to being caught off guard. She repeated everything Bella had said in her mind, sorting out the most important issues. "You're _not_ human?" she asked first.

Bella seemed embarrassed again. "Well, I'm not sure exactly _what _I am, but I'm pretty sure that being immortal disqualifies me from the human species. I was born in 1901 and haven't aged a day in about ninety years, so I would assume I'm something new entirely." She blushed. "Well, not new. My grandfather is the same. He's around here somewhere." She looked around the forest as if expecting him to appear.

I felt my breath catch. Her grandfather was _here_?

She shrugged, evidently finding her search fruitless. "If you happen to find him, you can ask if he knows, but I doubt he does."

Jane stared at her. The shock in her thoughts was just barely reflected in her face. "This Victoria _was _their creator?" she clarified.

Bella nodded. "She and Riley came after me while the others were fighting. There was a bit of a scuffle, but I made it out okay. My grandfather showed up to help me." She rolled her eyes. "I'm never going to live that down."

"They're dead?" Jane asked in her flat voice. The implications of Bella's existence ran through her head. She wasn't used to surprises. "_You _killed a vampire?"

Bella's polite façade shattered as she smirked. "Like my grandpa says, I'm the best at what I do, but what I do isn't very nice. Once he distracted them, it was too easy."

Jane took note of her change of tone and she realized that Bella was making fun of her. She glared at her and I didn't have time to push her out of the way before I sensed Jane begin to use her power. I grabbed Bella's arm, only to realize that she was fine.

Jane's power didn't work.

Bella smirked. "I don't think it works on me," she said cockily, but underneath it, I could see her relief. I realized that she'd been trying to take Jane's attention off Bree. The fact that Jane was useless against her was just an added bonus. It started to make me wonder…

Who else was she unaffected by?

"Fascinating…" Jane droned, regaining her composure. "Master Aro would be quite interested in you." I tensed. "But we have another job at the moment." She smiled and I relaxed. "Be sure to drop by soon."

Jane turned back to the newborn with obvious disinterest. "Dispose of it," she ordered the Guard.

"Wait," Carlisle interjected. "We could explain the rules to the young one. She doesn't seem unwilling to learn. She didn't know what she was doing. We would certainly be prepared to talk responsibility for Bree."

Jane's thoughts and expression seemed torn between amusement and disbelief. I realized that Carlisle's pleas would not help the newborn. Bella's teeth clacked together.

"We don't make exceptions, and we don't give second chances. It's bad for our reputation." She smiled. "It was nice to meet you, Carlisle. I'd thought Aro was exaggerating. Well, until we meet again."

Carlisle nodded. I heard his regret in his mind and looked at Bella. She was angry. I pulled her behind me and warned her with my expression to just keep quiet. She bit her lip and looked down.

Jane looked back at the silent newborn. "Take care of that, Felix," she said, motioning to the largest vampire. "I want to go home."

"Don't watch," I whispered into Bella's ear. She seemed only too eager to comply, a first.

Bree screeched as Felix tore her head off with a sickening _crunch_, and threw it into the fire. The rest of the girl quickly followed. My nose wrinkled at the fresh scent.

"Come," Jane ordered when it was over.

-

Bella's POV

I looked up in time to see the Volturi retreating. I glared at their backs. When they were so far away that I couldn't hear their footsteps anymore, I spoke. "Well, that was a real pick-me-up."

Edward exhaled loudly, and I realized he'd been expecting me to be more upset. The pale, pretty face of Bree was seared into my memory, but I couldn't dwell on it. I'd seen enough death to be used to it.

My family converged on me instantly. "What happened?" Carlisle asked.

"Was it really Victoria?" Alice enquired.

"Did you kick her ass?" Emmett demanded.

I gave them a half-smile. "Yeah, I'm alright. Seth and I were attacked by her and Riley, but we managed to win. My grandfather showed up to help." I was suddenly struck by a premonition. I groaned. "We should probably go to your house. I'll explain everything."

The Cullens seemed to find this reasonable, and we set off for home. Edward and Carlisle seemed to be having one of their private conversations. So many things had happened that I wasn't sure what it was about. Was it the fight? My immunity to Jane's ability? My grandfather? I would have to ask them later.

As expected, when we made it home I found the lock picked and my grandfather's scent hung in the air. I shook my head and followed it down to the cellar.

"I can't believe this!" I shouted, as we crowded downstairs. My grandfather, Victor, was passed out on the floor with several empty bottles of expensive liquor next to him. "I cannot believe this!" I repeated. I turned on my family and glared. "You guys have had a huge stash of alcoholic beverages downstairs and you never thought to offer me a drink?" I watched as several of their mouths dropped open and I smirked. "Just kidding, but seriously, I find out you guys are vampires, and you never even _think _about making me a Bloody Mary?" I grinned and shook my head. "Shame on you."

I sighed and turned away from my completely stunned family. I grabbed Victor's arms and hauled him up the stairs. I allowed him to crash haphazardly on the couch and smacked his face. There was no response. I sighed loudly and checked the time. It was just after midnight.

I turned around to find Emmett poking my grandfather. Victor rolled onto his side. "Knock it off, Em. He's not going to wake up for an hour, at least. And when he does, he's going to be pretty hungover."

Emmett stopped and stared at me. "You guys can get drunk?" he asked.

I shrugged. "It takes quite a bit of alcohol to effect us, and it wears off pretty quick. Our metabolisms run so fast that any drugs we take end up being burned off several times faster than what's considered normal. It kind of sucks because we have to take a lot more pain pills to treat a hangover. Which reminds me, do you have any stashed around here, preferably something really strong?"

Carlisle seemed to snap out of a daze. "I have some morphine in my office. Will that do?"

I nodded and he raced up to get it.

Edward touched my shoulder gently. I turned to him. "_This _is your grandfather?" he asked.

I knew what he was seeing. Victor was tall and wide, whereas I was average-sized and skinny. His hair was lighter than mine was, but had the same wavy look to it, and our eyes were different. I had my grandmother's eyes. Victor's face was square-shaped with a chiselled jaw. My face was heart-shaped. We didn't look very much alike. I watched Victor's eyes very carefully for any movement, but he was still.

I shrugged. "I look like my mother and grandmother, Kayla."

(For those of you who have seen X-Men Origins, Wolverine, you'll know that Kayla was technically Logan's girlfriend. For my purposes, I'm making her Victor's wife. I hope this doesn't bug anyone. To clarify, Logan does not exist in this world. Sorry.)

I decided it would be fair to explain. "You see, Kayla was half-Kainai; that's a subgroup of the Blackfoot Nation. That's the reason why my eyes and hair are so much darker than my skin. Victor married her about a hundred and thirty years ago. My mom was born in 1879. Five years later, Victor and Kayla were attacked. Victor survived and stopped aging like I did, but Kayla's injuries were too severe. After that, Victor couldn't bear to look at my mother. He left her alone whenever he took jobs as a mercenary, killing anyone he was paid to. He's very ruthless," I ended, looking at the unconscious man in front of me.

"He tracked me down a few years after the second World War. We didn't get along. He was still a gun for hire and I didn't want anything to do with him." I sighed and leaned into Edward's embrace. "I guess I never forgave him for leaving my mother alone."

"Are you still mad at him?" Edward asked.

"It was a long time ago. At the moment, though, I am _very _pissed off that he broke into your house. If he thinks I'm going to keep it down until his head stops pounding, he has another thing coming!" I swore, tightening my hands into fists.

Victor snorted and I realized my suspicions were confirmed. I planted a solid kick to his ribs. His eyes sprung open and he grabbed onto the side of the couch as he fell to the floor. "Hey!"

"Don't _hey _me!" I yelled, advancing on him. "You had no right to barge into my town and interrupt my life! I have a good thing going, so you'd better have a good explanation as to why you're here!" I crossed my arms and waited for him to sit up. The Cullens were naturally stunned, but they kept quiet.

Victor grinned suddenly. "You're not that pissed. You would've sent me straight through the wall if you were."

I unfolded my arms and clenched my fists. "Don't tempt me. I just didn't want to ruin Esme's house."

"Thank you, dear," Esme said quietly.

Victor seemed to take notice of the Cullens then. He studied their features much like I had that first day. "Now that's just weird. I thought vampires were supposed to have red eyes," he murmured.

"They hunt animals instead of people," I explained.

Victor's eyes widened predictably. "Well, I'll be. That's interesting." He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a box of cigars. "You mind if I smoke?"

"I don't care if you burn," I replied coolly.

Victor snorted. "Very Oscar Wilde," he commented. "What's this about you being engaged to a vampire?" he asked suddenly.

I rolled my eyes. "This is my fiancée," I said, indicating to Edward.

"How do you do?" he asked.

Victor smiled and lit up his cigar. "I got to watch my granddaughter and a Quileute shape-shifter tear up a few vampires. I'm friggin ecstatic!" he replied.

"Shape-shifter?" Edward questioned.

Victor waved his hand in the air, as if indicating an invisible wolf. "The Quileute kid; he's one of those shape-shifters from the reservation. Kayla used to talk about stuff like that," he said, flinching as he said her name. "What? You didn't think they were _real_ werewolves, did you? Hell no! Those sons of bitches aren't nearly as nice." He grinned, as if remembering something funny, or gruesome in his case.

I rolled my eyes. "Alright Mr. Smart-aleck," I said, sitting down next to him. "Why don't you explain it to us?"

"Nah uh," Victor said, holding up a finger. "Not until you explain to me what's been going on here and not until I get that morphine the doc was talking about."

-

I warned you that my updates would slow down. This isn't as bad as I'd thought it would be, actually. I gave a bit more of a back-story on Bella and Victor's relationship, and Bella found out that she's immune to Jane. It wasn't as exciting as I'd wanted, but at least I finished it before I had a nervous breakdown.

I'll see you guys later.


	18. Chapter 18

Wolverine

Thanks everyone for understanding the whole Victor/Kayla thing. It was a spur-of-the-moment decision.

I'm glad you seem to like Victor.

This chapter has no action as far as I can tell, just a lot of humour.

Luckily, I didn't have a nervous breakdown, although I _am _on the verge of finishing the second chapter of Talent Search. (Squeal!) I'm on page fourteen, and I'm just now figuring what to write. Bella is totally badass in that story too. Check it out if you haven't read it yet. (109 reviews for one chapter! That means it's awesome!)

-

"_Ah, get away from me with that malarkey! I intend to see you all again when I get through kickin' butt, so get outta my face and leave a man to his dirty business."_

-

Bella's POV

Victor took a long drag of his cigar and then pressed the burning end to his wrist. It hissed as it made contact with his skin. The Cullens flinched, but I simply rolled my eyes. In seconds, the wound healed and Victor dropped the cigar stub into an ashtray. "You know, kid…" Victor began. "Your life kind of sucks."

I remembered saying that exact thing just a few days before and couldn't help but let out a loud laugh. The others joined in.

Victor's headache was gone, and the morphine had lost its effect. He seemed much calmer and sweeter than I remembered him being.

I stopped laughing and mock-glared at him. "Well, it's _your _fault that James went after me. If he'd never come across you, he wouldn't have gone after me in revenge."

Victor shrugged. "It's not my fault Ponytail-Boy didn't know not to mess with me."

I slapped my forehead and groaned in defeat. He hadn't changed as much as I'd thought. Splendid.

Victor gave Edward a long, appraising look. "So, you're the guy who won my grandbaby's heart?"

I snorted and tried to hide my blush and Edward smiled. "Indeed I did, though it wasn't without effort. You should see the line-up of admirers she has."

Victor's thoughts apparently turned to something grotesque, because he smiled. "You'll have to point them out to me sometime. I can't blame them, though. She _is _one helluva pretty girl."

Edward rolled his eyes. "_Pretty _doesn't even begin to cover it."

I snorted. "Ignore him, he's blinded by love," I told Victor. "And you're blinded by idiocy."

Victor clutched his heart and rolled his eyes back into his head. "Ouch! You're so cruel, Bell."

"As cruel as life," I quipped.

Esme stepped forward. "Would you like something to eat, Victor? We keep some steak in the freezer for when Bella comes over."

Victor nodded his head once. "That'd be a real treat, ma'am. Thank you."

Esme smiled and zipped into the kitchen. "Would you like some too, Bella?" she called.

"No, thank you," I called back. I studied Victor more closely. "You need some new clothes, Grampy," I pointed out, smirking.

Alice seemed to take that as an invitation. She danced up the stairs and came back down with her arms filled with clothing. "I'm sure something of Emmett's will fit you. You're about the same size."

Emmett perked up at that. I saw Edward roll his eyes and figured that Emmett was thinking about a fight.

I smiled. _That _was something I'd pay to see.

"Thanks, little lady," Victor said. He rifled through the clothes for a few minutes. "Edward?" he asked, without looking up.

"Yes, sir," Edward replied, a note of hesitation in his voice. I wondered for the first time if he could _hear _my grandfather, or if Victor was as silent as I was.

"Vampires can't cry, right?" he continued while trying to match a green, plaid shirt with a decent pair of pants.

Edward's eyebrows pulled together and a wrinkle appeared between them. "No, sir."

Victor finally looked up. "You love my granddaughter?"

"More than life itself," Edward told him, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Victor smiled slowly and I recognized the look in his eyes. I buried my face in my hands and shifted to the side, getting ready to make a quick exit. Alice touched my arm lightly and held me still. I figured she was hiding her thoughts from Edward.

"Well, that's good, because if you felt anything less than total adoration for her, and would in any way cause her pain…well, let me put it this way; if you make her cry, I will make you cry."

I peeked through my fingers and saw Victor holding up his fingers. His fingernails extended by several inches and curled menacingly. "Alright!" I yelled, throwing my hands down in defeat. "Stop threatening the love of my life or I'll kick your ass, old man!"

I blushed an insanely deep red as the Cullens broke out into fits of laughter, except for Edward, of course. He seemed to be trying to determine if Victor was joking or not.

Esme returned to the living room with a plate of steak. She smiled widely as she set it down. "It's lovely of you to look after her like that, but I assure you, Edward is a perfect gentleman."

Victor grinned at her. "That's wonderful, ma'am, and might I say, this steak fantastically prepared for someone who doesn't have to cook that often."

"You haven't even tried it yet, you sweet-talker," I grumbled. "But, you're right," I continued, worried that I'd offend Esme. "She _is _a good cook. I should know."

Victor made a big show of tasting the steak and made several other sickeningly sweet comments about the décor and their kindness.

I didn't think I had enough bile left in my stomach to throw up, so as soon as I had the chance, I asked him what he knew about the Quileute shape-shifters.

Victor put down his knife and fork and leaned back, staring up at the ceiling. He nodded absently. "Kayla used to talk about rumours and such about their people. She had a lot of respect for them, but then again, Kayla loved everything." An absent smile flickered onto his face.

The Cullens all sat down, sensing that it was story time again. I sat next to Victor on the couch, with Edward on my other side. Emmett and Rosalie sat on the loveseat. Jasper took a spot on the reclining chair, and Alice sat on his lap. He twirled her short hair affectionately. Carlisle and Esme sat down on Edward's piano bench.

"Now, if I remember right, the Quileute tribe has always had magic in its history." He leaned forward and clasped his hands, staring blankly at his empty plate. "Some of them had a specific ability that scientists nowadays call astral projection. That is, they could literally expel their spirits from their bodies and enter another world, a Spirit World if you would. In this world, this plane of existence, they were unbeatable. Invisible to everyone except the other spirits, they could attack and defend other tribes on a whim. Imagine fighting something that you can't see or kill with manmade weapons. Fortunately, Quileutes were a rather peaceful people, and never attacked unless first provoked."

"But, just because they were diplomatic to other tribes, didn't mean that there was peace and harmony in their own ranks. Kayla told me that there was one; his name was Utlapa, who became power-hungry. The Chief, Taha Aki, was a peaceful man. He didn't feel he needed anymore than he already had, but Utlapa wanted to take over other tribes."

"In the Spirit World, the warriors could read each others thoughts, and one day, Taha Aki became aware of Utlapa's plans. He ordered him away and told him never to enter the Spirit World again. Utlapa was furious at Taha Aki, and one day when he entered the Spirit World and left his body behind, Utlapa took control of Taha Aki's body and destroyed his own."

"Taha Aki was trapped, while Utlapa banned the warriors from entering the Spirit World. His plans for taking over the other tribes were ruined, so he began demanding other privileges. Taha Aki became furious and asked a wolf to share his body so that Taha Aki could warn his people of Utlapa's deception. Utlapa recognized what had happened and sent his warriors out to defend him. Taha Aki refused to harm them, and instead, shape-shifted into a man. The warriors realized what happened and killed Utlapa."

"Ever since then, his descendants have had the ability to shape-shift into wolves." Victor's haunting voice changed abruptly to a more mocking tone. "Taha Aki could have easily chosen another animal and saved his descendants the embarrassment of thinking that they're werewolves, but I don't think he was being too picky at the time. Still, I gotta admit, that kid looked friggin awesome when he wasted that vampire."

I laughed. "I'll bet he thinks so too," I agreed.

The Cullens all sat up straight, as if they were on the verge of passing out, an impossible act for a vampire. "That was quite interesting," Carlisle said. The rest of us nodded.

Victor looked quite pleased with himself. "It was my pleasure, sir," he stated. "I don't get to tell many stories anymore. Bella only let me explain about the Wolverine before she took off." He narrowed his eyes accusingly at me, but continued to smile. "Kids today have no respect for their elders."

I snorted and rolled my eyes. "First spoken by Plato in 330 B.C." I quipped.

"Smart man."

"Smarter than you."

"Ouch!"

I grinned at him and he tried to slug me. I ducked out of the way and snatched up his plate. "I'm going to go wash this. Try not to destroy the room while I'm gone." I walked into the kitchen. "And don't threaten my fiancée anymore!" I yelled back as I started cleaning the dish.

There were a few muffled chuckles from the other room as I set the dishes into the dish rack to dry. I walked back into the living room and sat next to Edward. Emmett had coerced my grandfather into playing a racing video game and they were neck-in-neck. Jasper watched them with an amused smile, Alice still in his lap. Carlisle and Esme were gone, and some muffled sounds from upstairs let me know exactly where they were. Rosalie sat sulking in the corner, admiring her reflection.

"I can't hear your grandfather's thoughts," Edward murmured. I sensed the others listening intently and leaned in closer.

"So, you think it might be genetic?" I asked.

Edward nodded. "Perhaps. I'll ask Carlisle about it. Maybe Victor would allow him to perform some tests."

"No tests," Victor ordered without looking up from his game. His car passed Emmett's and he grinned. "You lose, Hercules."

Emmett groaned and demanded a rematch. Victor laughed at him and threw the remote to Jasper. "Play with your brother; I want to know what my granddaughter's going on about. What's this about you reading people's thoughts?" he asked, indicating to Edward.

"Some vampire's gain abilities after they transform," Edward explained, "Carlisle thinks that the change exaggerates talents that you already had. Jasper was always very empathetic and influential, and now he can sense and control emotions. I can read minds, and I might have been good at figuring out what people were thinking while I was human, but I can't really remember. Alice can see the future, and she might have had some precognitive abilities while she was human."

Victor scratched his scruffy chin thoughtfully. "Interesting, so, you think my Bella and I have some sort of talent like that?"

For a second, Edward didn't answer. His eyebrows came together and he frowned. "Perhaps it _is_ something like that. It's possible. She was able to withstand Jane's ability, and that's no small feat."

"Jane?" Victor asked.

Edward narrowed his eyes. "What exactly do you know about vampires?"

Victor shrugged. "I've come across a few of them. I know how to kill them if that's what you mean."

I snickered. "He means, do you understand them socially?"

Victor raised an eyebrow. "Do I look like a frigging people-person to you?"

"Does that answer your question?" I sighed. Edward pursed his lips together to keep from laughing.

"Jane is a member of the Volturi," he explained. "The Volturi are a very powerful group of vampires who dedicate themselves to keeping vampires a secret. Jane has a very powerful gift. She can make you think you're in pain. It's an illusion, of course, but a very effective one. She and her twin, Alec are the most dangerous members. Alec can cut off your senses completely. I was just wondering if you've ever come across them. It would be interesting to know if Bella is immune to him as well."

Victor shrugged. "Can't say I have. I don't exactly exchange names with the guys I'm trying to kill."

I couldn't hold in my laughter at that. "I _missed _this!" I gasped. "You can be really funny when you aren't being a total douche."

"Thanks, I think." Victor grinned and ran his fingers through his long hair. "I need a haircut. You wanna?"

"Sure," I said, letting my claws come out. "Let's go stand over the garbage. I don't want to get your smelly hair all over Esme's carpet."

"Just try not to cut my ear off this time."

"That was intentional."

"I know." We exchanged grins and headed into the kitchen. Victor knelt down and bent his head over the garbage. I ran my fingers through his hair and began slicing off several inches. Once I was done, I ran my hands over his head, sifting through to find any loose hairs.

Victor patted his head as he stood up. "All of my facial features seem to be attached. Nice job."

I gave him an elaborate bow. "Pleased to be of service."

"You're kind of nice when you're not being a vindictive bitch," he said as I straightened up. We began to walk back to the living room. Victor had yet to change into his new clothes, and now I could see that his hair needed to be washed as well.

"Thanks, I think," I echoed. "Jerk."

"Runt."

"Whatever, Lassie."

"Oh, I run on all fours _one time_ and I can never live it down!"

"Nope," I said cheerfully. I skipped over to Edward and sat down beside him. I felt more relaxed and happy than I had in a while. I hoped Jasper could enjoy it. The poor guy must've been miserable the past few days.

"So," Victor began, leaning against the entranceway. "When's the big day?"

That stumped me. Edward looked equally uncomfortable. "We haven't planned that out yet."

Victor made a big show of dropping his mouth open and shaking his head. I glared at him, daring him to make a comment.

"We've got eternity, why should we rush?" I pointed out.

"Have you even told your foster-dad?"

I shuddered at the thought of telling Charlie. For someone who wasn't even my real father, he sure acted like one. It might have made me feel good…if I was really an immature eighteen-year-old. Mostly, his overprotective nature was more annoying than Edward's was.

Victor grinned. "You could tell him at the party you're going to have," he said out of nowhere.

"What-" I began, only to be cut off by Alice squealing.

Edward rolled his eyes. "He said the p-word," he muttered.

Alice rushed over to Victor and wrapped her tiny arms as far around him as she could. "That's a _great _idea, Victor! It'll be so much fun! We can invite everyone from school, and you can meet Charlie. We'll have to make up a story for you. You could be Bella's uncle! Bella, you'll have to take off your ring so that Edward can propose properly."

"He _did _propose properly, Alice," I whined, despite how pointless it was.

As expected, Alice rounded on me. "Bella, proposing with an audience is far better than proposing in private. I wonder if we could get some cameras up. We could record everyone's reactions!" Alice cackled.

"I'm pretty sure videotaping someone without permission violates a constitutional right," Victor muttered as he stepped out of Alice's embrace.

"I second that." I crossed my arms.

Alice stuck out her bottom lip, but it did nothing to sway me. "Fine," she relented, sighing. "But I get to plan the party, and _I_ say when you propose!"

I looked at Edward. He gave me a tentative smile. I looked back at Alice and held out my hand. "Deal," I agreed.

-

This isn't exactly as long as I wanted it to be, but I figured you would just be glad that I was updating at all. Next chapter, we're gonna party!

See you later, guys!


	19. Chapter 19

Wolverine

I'm sorry this update is a little slow. I'm working on the second chapter of Talent Search. It's a really complex story. The way I've planned it out, I don't even know if there's a way to end it.

Rubberduck697 - Yes, Talent Search will be updated. Yes, Supernatural _is _awesome. And no, I'll try not to have any more nervous breakdowns.

Xavier2163 - The Volturi are just going to have to wait their turn in this story, because I have a lot of crap to settle before we meet them. Charlie is going to stay clueless. The guy rather irritates me, to be honest. You'll find out about whether or not Bella can have kids, and yeah, a baby with retractable claws does sound cute.

I'll think you'll enjoy this.

I've been saving this quote for a chapter like this, so you'd better appreciate it.

_-_

"_What _is_ it with X-Men?! We'll tackle Magneto or even Galactus without a second thought, but heaven forbid _any_ of us, man or woman, can ask someone out on a flamin' _date!_ Pop the question, get an answer, deal with it, an' move on."_

_-_

Victor's POV (You're freaking out right now, aren't you?)

Friday, June 11th, 2010.

That Alice kid was probably the most hyperactive vampire on the planet. I mean I loved the girl, it was hard not to, but I was pretty sure that if she'd been born eighteen years ago for _real_, she'd be on some heavy-duty Ritalin. The fact that vampires never slept or even really tired out meant that she could go full speed all night. She was determined to make the Cullen's party the most memorable event in Forks' history. Considering how _exciting_ the place was, I felt she went a little overboard with her planning.

But no way in _hell _was I mentioning it!

The two boys, Emmett and Jasper, (who was around my age) were loads of fun. If I had a nickel for every time one of them put a hole in the wall, I'd have $3.25. That's sixty-five holes.

Esme was a doll. I didn't think anyone could _be _that nice. With all she'd been through, it was a wonder she still bothered to try. And her cooking was awesome.

Carlisle; now _there _was a strange fellow; a four-hundred-year-old vampire who worked at a dingy little hospital in some nowhere town just so his vampire kids could go to school and pretend to be normal. If that didn't make you go _huh_ then there was something wrong with your head.

Rosalie wasn't the most likable person. She certainly didn't like me, that's for sure, and she wasn't that impressed with Bella either. Probably wasn't used to someone _else _getting all the attention.

Edward, well, Bella had changed a lot after she met him. She was happier. I guessed that meant I couldn't break his neck if he did something stupid, not that that would do much to a vampire. Besides, Bella already had a guy looking out for her. That Charlie Swan treated her like his own daughter. Probably because they were alike in their quiet ways, you know, when they weren't yelling at everyone.

I was invited to stay over at the Cullen place for as long as I wanted. Once I got used to the fact that no one was too secretive about their sex lives, I adjusted. I tried to help out around the house. I didn't want to act like a moocher or something. Emmett was a big slouch when it came to chores. The guy had too much fun acting his body's age. The only thing that could pry him away from his video games was Rosalie, and _that _wasn't exactly the lesser of two evils.

"Hey _Uncle_ Victor!" Bella called. She ran up to me and waved her diploma under my nose. "Have you ever thought about getting your high school equivalency? You could get a real job and stop mooching off my family." She whacked my shoulder with the rolled up paper and glared at me.

I gave her my most innocent look. "Cripes, kiddo! At _my _age? I don't even know what kids study anymore. Besides, I don't _need_ a high school diploma for my job."

She gave me a serious frown and it looked like she was about to start lecturing when we both heard the first cars arrive. The party was about to begin. She gave me a warning glance and left to find Edward. I crashed on the couch next to Emmett and grabbed the remote.

"Hey!" he said. His bottom lip actually stuck out a little and I had to laugh.

"Your guests are arriving, Slim. You best get ready." He zipped upstairs to change. I turned to the nature channel and watched as a lion took down a gazelle. Bored, I flipped it to the health channel and watched as some woman carved up a corpse to figure out how it died. I rolled my eyes and shut the dang thing off.

I pushed the furniture to the side of the room so that people would have enough room. By the time the first kids arrived, everyone was prepared. The Cullens did look kind of weird under the lighting, but I figured no one was too keen on talking to them anyway. How Alice had managed to invite every teenager in town, I'd never know.

The kids wandered around for a while, most of them stopping to talk to Bella. She would probably be exhausted by the end of the day. People tired her out. She weaved through the hordes of teenagers in flashy getups smiling all the while. Underneath her calm façade, though, I could see the anxiety blooming. The party was scheduled to end at midnight, and Bella's eyes kept flashing to the clock.

"Hey, you're Bella's grandfather, right?" a young boy asked. I recognized him as one of the shape-shifters from La Push. None of the others were around, so I assumed he'd snuck out.

"I'm her _uncle _right now, kiddo," I corrected, ruffling his hair. "The name's Victor Creed."

"Seth Clearwater," the kid said, holding out his hand. We shook and surveyed the room. "I wanted to thank you for helping Bella and me earlier. You probably saved our hides, but don't tell anyone," he murmured.

"No sweat," I replied. "Gotta look after your family, even if they hate your guts." We laughed. The kid was all right. He did smell a little weird, but that was okay. Speaking of smell…

I sniffed the air. "I think your brothers have found you," I warned him.

He shrugged. "They won't do anything. Me and Bella are friends, sort of. They're just keeping watch. My sister is so overprotective."

There was a distant growl from outside. Several of the Cullens turned towards the sound. Edward shook his head and muttered, "They won't be a problem."

Bella looked over and smiled at Seth. She waved us over. Seth grinned widely at her and rushed over, dragging me behind. The kid was like a frigging sauna.

Bella clapped Seth on the shoulder. "Thanks for coming," she said.

"No problem. It wouldn't be a party without a werewolf," he taunted. Bella made to swipe at him half-heartedly and he ducked under her hand. "I finished that comic book. You were right. The ending _was_ different. It was still pretty cool, though."

"I never said it wasn't. I tell ya, it was pretty awesome back in my day," Bella said fondly.

Seth seemed a little surprised. He had probably forgotten that Bella was so old. It happened to me all the time. "It's still pretty awesome," he finally replied, smiling at her.

"It's almost time," Alice warned, appearing next to Bella. She ran her icy fingers through Bella's hair, trying to make it look presentable. Bella had been letting it grow out again. It was longer than it should have been, but it suited her.

Bella appeared to be having an aneurism.

I laughed. "Relax, Princess! You'll do just fine. _He's _the one who has to do all the talking," I said, pointing to Edward. "You just have to look pretty and say _yes_."

"Easier said than done, Victor," she replied, straightening her shirt. My hair is probably a mess. I knew I should have cut it."

"You look beautiful," Edward said, kissing her forehead.

"You're biased," Bella replied.

"I think she looks pretty hot for an old lady," Seth joked. Bella swiped at him again. Seth ducked under her arm and threw up his fists. "Getting slow in your old age."

"I'll show you _slow_ puppy-dog," Bella warned. "Try to remember that there are witnesses."

Seth shrugged uncaringly.

"Don't upset her!" Alice ordered. "She has to maintain her composure for the proposal."

Bella shuddered. "Why does this have to be so public again?" she asked.

"Because I said so," Alice replied smugly.

"Charlie is going to have a heart attack," she complained.

"Carlisle will take care of him."

"You have an answer for everything, don't you?"

"Yep. Now get ready. Take off your ring." Alice held her hand out. Bella cringed as she removed her ring and gave it to Alice. "Don't frown, this is a happy occasion."

"I'll never hear the end of it from Jessica once she realizes we've been planning this for months."

"We could always move," Edward suggested. "Unless you want to go to college with me."

"I'd love that," Bella said, smiling.

Alice tapped her foot impatiently. "You have eternity to plan for the future; you only have five minutes to get engaged in front of half the town, so hop to it."

Edward rolled his eyes. I elbowed him in the ribs. "When you start kissing her, I better not see any tongues."

Bella whacked my arm and told me to shut it. I grinned at her and stepped back to watch the show. Edward took the ring from Alice and smiled at Bella. She relaxed somewhat under his gaze and allowed him to lead her to the center of the room.

"Excuse me, everyone!" Edward said. Immediately, everyone's attention was on them. "We have an announcement to make."

I leaned back against the food table and grinned, remembering my own proposal to Kayla so many years before. She'd blushed beet red when I got down on one knee and begged her to stay with me forever. Her father hadn't liked me much, but her mother thought I was a gem. When we had married, she'd kissed me on the cheek and called me her son. Even the old man had warmed up to me after my daughter Isabella had been born. You just couldn't hate Isa.

I snapped out of my memories as Edward got down on one knee. "Bella, I love you more than anything in this world, and by some miracle, you feel the same way about me. I want to be with you for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?"

I'd never seen Bella look happier. The room erupted in whispers, but she seemed oblivious to it all. "Yes."

Edward smiled widely and put her ring back on. He jumped up and spun her around, kissing her. Seconds later, friends surrounded them.

"This is so amazing!"

"But you're so young!"

"I'm so happy for you!"

"When's the wedding?"

"That was so romantic!"

"I can't believe you kept this from me!"

Bella allowed herself to be passed around for hugs. Edward managed to fade into the background. Humans were smart enough not to get too close.

Shape-shifters on the other hand…

Seth slung an arm over Edward's shoulders. "Nicely executed, Ed! They'll be talking about this until I'm a grandfather."

"Probably longer than that," Edward disagreed. "Now for the hard part; we have to tell Charlie."

Bella stiffened noticeably and gave him a panicked look. He smiled back and waved.

It took a little over half an hour for everyone to clear out. Afterwards, Alice zipped around the room, cleaning at super speed. I offered to help, only to have her snap at me not to touch anything until I'd taken a shower. I looked at Bella, pointing at Alice. "I offered. She declined. Don't get pissed at me."

Bella rolled her eyes and shoved me up the stairs. I shrugged and headed up for a shower.

-

Edward's POV

Bella amazed me sometimes. She fought vampires and made friends with werewolves without a thought to her safety, but telling her foster parents that she was engaged terrified her.

We currently sat in my car, debating the best approach to telling Charlie. Bella seemed to feel that we should wait until morning, while I assumed it would be better to tell him when he was tired enough not to worry. Bella thought it would keep him up all night, while I was sure that he would handle it like an adult. Bella gave me a look that made me think she questioned my sanity.

"If he really cares about you, he'll want you to be happy. Besides, if we wait, someone else will tell him. There are no secrets in Forks," I joked. Bella smiled.

"Fine, but wait until he puts his gun away." I cracked up, aware that the possibility of Charlie actually shooting me was very low. Still, it seemed necessary to humour her.

Bella got out of the car and rushed inside. Charlie was sitting up in the kitchen, watching the clock like a hawk. We were already later than we should have been and he kept visualizing the possibility of finding us in a car doing something very…fun.

"Charlie! Sorry I'm late. The party ran a little longer than we'd thought." I followed behind her and took off my shoes and coat. Bella dumped her jacket onto the couch and sat down. I sat next to her, aware that Charlie would notice something was up. "Can you come in here for a second?" she called, her voice quivering slightly.

Charlie marched in, intent on an interrogation. He paused as he saw us.

_What has he done?_

I smiled at him. "We have some good news, Charlie." Charlie's expression went from barely concealed dislike to outward suspicion. I had hoped that time had dulled that, but Charlie seemed to have a long memory. The only reason I couldn't bring myself to dislike him, was that he only felt that way because he was protective of Bella. I couldn't hate anyone who felt that way about her.

"Good news?" Charlie repeated, looking at Bella. _You better have not gotten pregnant! Renée would kill me!_

I looked at Bella for a second, suddenly wishing that that was true. I was a little surprised by my desire. I'd never really thought passed getting married, but to have a child with Bella's eyes and lovely smile, perhaps my own hair…it seemed like a very beautiful dream. I suddenly understood Rosalie much better.

"Have a seat, Charlie," Bella insisted, struggling with her composure. I sensed her desire to play with her ring, but also her knowledge that Charlie would zero onto it instantly. She wanted to do this right.

Charlie stomped to his recliner and sat down ramrod straight. "What's wrong, Bella?"

"Nothing," she replied.

Charlie raised one eyebrow. "Nothing? Then why are you sweating bullets?" he insisted.

"I'm not-" Bella began to protest, and then she straightened up. I saw the same fire I'd seen in her eyes when she fought James or talked about fighting Victoria. She smiled an easy smile and touched my hand. "Something really amazing happened to me today, Charlie, and I want you to be happy about it."

Charlie's thoughts turned to the worst. "You're _pregnant!_"

Bella shook her head, smiling. "No Charlie, I'm still a virgin, but I won't be for long." She held up her left hand, and I suddenly realized that she was as happy about this as I was. "I'm getting married, Charlie. Edward proposed to me tonight at the party…and…I want you to give me away."

Charlie looked stunned. For a second, his mind went completely blank. I had never been in such a quiet room with anyone other than Bella, and it was somewhat disorienting. However, the silence was only temporary. Charlie stared dumbly at Bella as his mind rushed through every time he had looked at us and seen an engaged couple instead of two teenagers in puppy love. He wondered, correctly, if this had been planned for much longer than we'd told everyone. Then, there was a surprising emotion...happiness. Charlie knew that despite his misgivings about me, that Bella loved me.

"You want _me _to-" he couldn't bring himself to say the words.

Bella nodded, still smiling blissfully. "You've been more like a father to me than any of my other families, and certainly more than my real father. I would be honoured if you would give me away on my wedding day."

"The wedding, when is it?" he asked, desperate for details as his mind sorted out the possibilities.

"We were thinking this summer. We're going to college together, so why not?" she asked. She flushed a little. "Besides, I was raised never to go too far before I was married." Charlie suddenly looked like he was sucking on a lemon, and I saw a blurry image of Bella and myself in a compromising position. He immediately banished it, thankfully.

"This summer," he repeated. He looked at the floor, picturing Bella in a white wedding dress and myself in a black tuxedo, she and I smiling at each other and saying our vows, until we finally kissed. Even with his distaste for me, he still found the image beautiful.

"August 13th, to be exact. That will give us plenty of time before the semester starts." Charlie blanched again as he thought about why we would need that time. He coughed.

"You're set on this?" he asked. We nodded, smiling. He sighed heavily. "Alright, but _you're _telling Renée." With that, he got up from his chair and headed up the stairs. "Congratulations," he called back.

Bella didn't seem to hear him. She stared blankly at his chair, her mouth open and her eyes wide. She snapped out of it when I touched her cheek and said a very rude word. She glared at the stairs where Charlie had departed. "He's enjoying this, isn't he?"

"He won't have any trouble sleeping tonight. He seems very pleased with himself."

Bella snorted. She leaned against my arm. "You know, for a moment, when he asked me about being pregnant, I kind of wished it were true."

I nodded solemnly. "I did too."

-

I know you probably hate me right now, but I have updated, and that's that. I'm getting close to finishing this, and I'm happy about that. It's very draining. Check out my profile and vote on whether or not you want me to write the first chapter of _Talent Search _from Edward's POV_._ If you haven't read that yet, shame on you. Go read it right now and tell me how much you love it.

I'll catch you guys later.

There seems to be something wrong with fan fiction. I don't know what's happened, but I hope it doesn't happen again. I tried to update on the 29th but it said it was unable to convert my file. Anyone else get this?


	20. Chapter 20

Wolverine

I've hit sort of a rut. For the most part, this story is gonna go the way Stephanie Meyer wrote it. I'm going to add in a few differences, but overall, it's gonna be pretty predictable. My story _Hunter _on the other hand, is going to have some serious plot twists. I'm going to put _Hunter_ on temporary hiatus. I should be finished this by April at the latest.

I'm glad you liked Victor's point of view. I just got the idea and rolled with it.

Xavier2163 - Don't make me slap you. Bella and Edward are going to be good. I don't care how horny they are, they're waiting.

Rubberduck697 - I'm not really that smug. I know I make errors all the time, and some of the stuff I write just sucks. I just think it's better to be positive than to let this get to me. When I started out, I was better than average for my age (thirteen) and since then I've improved tremendously. I couldn't have done this if I told myself I sucked. Too many of our greatest minds are ruined because of their desire to be perfect all the time. I'm not settling for mediocrity, I'm giving myself the chance to make mistakes so that I can learn from them. Gees, I sound like some kind of inspirational speaker or something.

My mom just had her 48th birthday this Sunday. Yeah, she's a Valentines Day baby. I'm a day after Christmas baby. The holidays are crazy at my house. Plus, my nephew just turned two this Tuesday.

Enjoy this chapter.

_-_

"_It ain't like I've never been in love. Just takes me a while to let a lady in. And when I do... Silver Fox... Mariko... let's say it ain't exactly healthy for them. Guess it shoulda made me skittish about gettin' involved. But that ain't how I'm built. When something special comes your way, you gotta _grab_ it and hold on tight. 'Cause you never know how long it's gonna last."_

_-_

Edward's POV

Friday, August 13th, 2010.

It was very difficult not to search Alice's mind for one glimpse of Bella, but I knew that she would rip my throat out if I did, quite literally. Instead, I looked around.

Renée, Phil, and Victor sat together in the front row. Phil and Victor in black tuxedos and Renée in a light blue knee-length dress. Victor had told them that he had been in Iraq when his _sister _had her accident. He was very grateful that they had looked after Bella for him.

Renée was only too pleased to meet me. Apparently, Bella was too transparent to keep the love of her life a secret. The woman had barely batted an eyelash when Bella had explained that she was engaged. All that worrying was for nothing.

Alice's decorations were stunning as always. She'd bought almost half a dozen different flowers; orange blossoms, lilac, freesias and roses. The humans seemed to enjoy them.

I smelled her before I heard her and I looked up.

She was so beautiful.

Alice had done her job well. Bella stood partially hidden behind the curtain as Alice danced down the aisle. She was studying the décor with eyes outlined by long, thick eyelashes. She smiled softly at the white blossoms that hung from everything that wasn't alive.

Her cue came, and she took a deep breath as Rosalie began to play Pachelbel's Canon in D. Charlie took her arm and led her down the stairs. The narrow sheath of her shimmering white dress flared out subtly at the train, like an inverted calla lily.

She smiled widely, her cheeks rosy with light blush and her own blood. I held out my hand and she took it. She barely looked at Carlisle or Mr Weber as he began the ceremonies. I couldn't complain. She looked dazzling.

"Looking pretty good for an old man," she whispered so that the humans next to us couldn't hear. I snickered.

"You don't look too bad yourself," I whispered back, playing along.

"Alice," she murmured. "I feel like a dress up doll."

"Remind me to buy her a Porsche to thank her."

Alice smirked widely behind Bella's head. She held up her bouquet and pretended to smell the flowers while she hid her laughter.

"-for as long as you both shall live?" I heard Bella's cue and she smiled widely.

"Totally du - I mean, I do."

I laughed at her obviously intentional slip and said the words that would make her mine forever. "I do."

The minister barely had time to say, _you may kiss the bride_, before Bella threw her arms around my neck, bouquet and all, and pressed her warm lips to mine.

I heard the distant sounds of laughter and Victor's voice rang out, "Don't let her take control Edward! You'll never get it back!"

It was very, very difficult not to break out into laughter as Bella flipped off her grandfather without even bothering to break the kiss. I pulled away from her and chuckled along with most of the congregation. She shrugged unashamedly as I shot her a reproving look.

Bella allowed herself to be passed around by her misty-eyed friends and family. I followed her every move with a smile, ever conscious of my teeth as I fought done a grin. She accepted the hugs with good grace, but I sensed her impatience. The only time she truly relaxed was when Seth threw an arm over her shoulder. She rubbed his head playfully and grinned.

-

Bella's POV

The wedding led into the reception party smoothly, proof of Alice's flawless planning. It was twilight, and the vampires were safe in the darkness. Edward led me through the back glass doors into the yard. The lights from the trees made it bright enough for my human friends and family. There were another ten thousand flowers out here, serving as a fragrant, airy tent over the dance floor.

We talked and laughed. I had been to a few weddings, but never one so elegant. I loved the decorations. The people were polite. I heard no gossip about how I was really pregnant, or how this would make all the other teenagers want to marry straight out of high school. They could tell we were different, and I was far too thin to be pregnant, as Victor pointed out.

I caught the scents of my new extended family, the Denalis, and turned around. They stared at me, bewildered. The woman in front, Tanya I assumed from her strawberry blond hair, reached out and gave Edward a hug. I stared behind her at the other three vampires. One of the women had long, pale blond hair, straight as corn silk. The other woman and the man beside her had black hair, with a hint of an olive tone to their complexions.

"Interesting," the man murmured. I didn't stare at him for long, though. Tanya still hadn't released Edward.

I cleared my throat none too subtly, and she let go with a smirk. The wedding ring on my finger must not have been enough reason not to hit on my husband.

I felt a tiny shiver go up my spine when I thought that word. I never believed I would ever get married. I was always more concerned with being a nurse or a teacher than a wife and mother.

Edward chuckled and put his arm around my shoulders. "Tanya, Kate, Carmen, Eleazar, this is Bella, my wife." He sounded extremely satisfied to say the last word aloud.

Tanya smiled at me and held out a hand for me to shake. "Welcome to the family, Bella."

"Thanks," I said.

The other blond woman held out her hand next. "It's nice to meet you, Bella. I'm Kate."

"Pleasure to meet you," I said.

The dark-haired woman put her hand over mine and Kate's. "I'm Carmen, this is Eleazar. It's a pleasure to meet you."

I grinned cockily. "It usually is, unless I'm mad."

They laughed. Carmen locked eyes with me. "I'm sorry Irina couldn't come. She's still upset about the incident with Laurent."

"The guy got what he deserved from what I heard," Victor said, approaching our group. "Not too bright, taking on Bella without any backup." He crossed his arms and smirked at the Denalis.

"It was the wolves he fought," I corrected him.

He grinned wider. "What? You couldn't handle him?"

I huffed. "I didn't say that!" I protested. I punched him in the arm and he stumbled back, still grinning.

"Never mind, beautiful, it's time for cake. Hope you don't puke, Ed," he said, patting Edward on the shoulder in sympathy.

The standard traditions were kept. Pictures were taken as Edward and I stood next to a gigantic cake. Edward manfully swallowed his portion and didn't puke as Victor hoped. I gave Edward a wink and threw my bouquet straight into Angela's arms. He returned the gesture as he removed my garter and shot it into Mike's face.

The song I had selected for our first dance began. I had searched through hundreds of wedding sons for this one, and I was sure the lyrics were perfect for our unique situation.

Edward pulled me onto the dance floor and I closed my eyes as Edie Adams' bluesy voice rang out on the dance floor.

_I can only give you love that lasts forever,_

_And the promise to be near each time you call._

_And the only heart I own, for you and you alone,_

_That's all…that's all._

"Enjoying the party, Mrs Cullen?" Edward asked playfully.

"Get me some whiskey and then the party will _really _start."

Edward chuckled and leaned down for a kiss.

_If you're wondering what I'm asking in return, dear,_

_You'll be glad to know that my demands are small._

_Say it's me that you'll adore, for now and evermore._

_That's all…that's all._

_I love you._

_Yes, I love you…_

_That's all._

Victor tapped me on the shoulder and spun me around as the music changed to something a little more rock and roll.

_Well shake it up baby, now!_

"How did you manage to sneak that in?" I asked, noting Edward's barely concealed dislike.

Victor dipped me down until my hair draped the floor and then lifted me above his head. "I'm awesome, that's how."

I giggled as he set me down. "I remember dancing to this song back in the sixties. It was all the rage."

I was passed from friend to friend after that. I showed off more than was strictly necessary, but I was in a good mood. Edward snatched me from Mike's clutches and spun me into his arms. "I'm getting dizzy," I said, laughing.

Alice appeared then, Victor following close behind.

"Alice, this is best wedding ever. I can't wait to do it again." I closed my eyes in delight.

My new sister grinned. "I'll keep that in mind. But right now, you need to change. It's time for you to get ready for your honeymoon."

I clutched Edward tighter. "Five more minutes, Ali. I'm having fun."

"Your plane won't wait, Bella."

_Plane?_

My heart dropped down to my stomach and I felt rush from my face. "Plane?" I asked hesitantly, hoping I had misheard.

Victor burst out into hysterical laughter. "You know, Bells, more people die driving than flying."

I glared at him. "How about from impaling?" I asked, letting my claws sink out an inch through my knuckles.

"Hey, be nice," he answered, still grinning. I let my claws out another inch and he took a step back. "Or be your approximation of nice." I let my claws sink back into my forearms.

Edward stared at me open-mouthed.

"What?" I asked.

"You're afraid of flying?" he asked.

I growled as Victor laughed again. "She got shot down one too many times during World War II. Wright brothers, smart guys, but their babies sure make a mess when they crash into the earth. How many times did they have to dig you out?"

"Twice," I admitted.

Victor laughed again and I smacked him upside the head. "You shut it! Least I don't freak out when I see a snake." He stopped laughing and glared at me.

"You wanna start something, princess?" he asked, crouching down a little with a sneer.

"Anytime, anywhere, old man," I promised, smirking.

Alice got in between us. "If you two want to fight each other, you do it later. Right now, you and Edward have a plane to catch and Victor has to help me clean up."

Victor looked wounded at stood up straight. "But-"

Alice turned on him, somehow making his 6'3" form shrink with fear. "Alright! Alright! Don't bite me or anything!" He shuffled off to the corner of the room and began to pick up some Styrofoam cups.

Alice smiled and grabbed my arm. "Come on, Bella. We need to get you into your honeymoon dress."

She dragged me into her room and pulled the pins out of my hair. She carefully helped me out of my dress and pulled on a deep blue going-away ensemble.

"Are you sure we can't take a train or a boat?" I asked without much hope.

"Not if you want to enjoy your entire honeymoon. You've only got three weeks until college starts." Alice tapped her chin thoughtfully as she studied me. "Yep, perfect."

"Tell me something I don't know."

Alice hit me playfully and then pushed me out the door and down the stairs. "Heads up! New wife coming through! Everyone hide your wallets!"

There were a few scattered laughs from my family and friends. I grinned. "Please, I married for money. Like I _need _to borrow any cash."

Edward held out his hand. "I thought you married me for my charming personality," he jibed.

I turned my nose up. "Sorry, hon, it's definitely the money, and your ass." I snatched his face up for a kiss before he could think of a retort.

"Everything's ready," Alice said, tapping her foot impatiently. "Your suitcases are in the car. Jasper's bringing it around."

Renée pulled me into a hug, sobbing. "I can't believe this. It seems like yesterday you arrived on my doorstep." She pulled back and looked at my face. "You have to promise me that you'll come for a visit."

I smiled. "No sweat, Renée. After living here, I'm dying for a little sun."

Victor seemed about to say something, but Alice stepped on his foot hard enough that I heard a bone crack. Renée was oblivious. "I can't wait. Have fun."

Edward wrapped his arm around my waist as he led me out the door. The audience applauded and began to throw the rice. Charlie gave me a big smile as we walked passed. I waved ecstatically before climbing into Edward's black Aston Martin Vanquish. It was decorated with flowers that hung in ribbons. It was a big step up from the soccer-mom car he usually drove.

Edward drove at his usual high speed. I tried to forget the fact that I would be riding in a plane in a little while. Staring at my new husband certainly helped.

Edward had changed into a wife beater, jeans, and his cadet blue pea coat. We matched.

A sound startled me out of my daze. I turned my eyes away from Edward and stared out the front window. Neither of us mentioned the pained howling coming from the forest.

-

I know it's short. Just be glad I updated at all. I promise this will get back on track. Going by how quickly I wrote this, the next chapter should be up in a few days. I had to take out Breaking Dawn from the library so I could refresh my memory, but be assured, it will not be written verbatim. I _will_ make Bella funnier.

I'll talk at you later.


	21. Chapter 21

Wolverine

Hey, me again. I don't think I was clear enough in the last chapter. I'm not going to be writing _Hunter _for a little while. What I will do is try to finish Wolverine as quickly as possible. I'm going to edit out a bunch of the werewolf pack stuff. Any self-respecting Twilighter knows all that anyway.

For all of you who loved Talent Search, I've written another chapter!!! Bow before me! I kind of thought it would suck, but from all the reviews I received, it's actually pretty decent.

Immortalwizardpirateelf-fan - I love the name, but in this, Victor has the body of a thirty-five year old. I don't think he could pass for Bella's brother. That's why I made him her uncle.

Rubberduck697 - Glad you enjoyed the speech, and don't worry, _Hunter _is gonna blow you away.

This is the most appropriate quote I could find. Proceed with hysterical laughter.

-

_O'Donnell: "Some entrance, Logan! You know, we don't generally start busting up the furniture until dawn, but, hey - it's your party!"_

-

Bella's POV

I gripped Edward's hand as the plane began to descend.

"Ow!" he hissed.

I immediately released him and gave him a sympathetic look. Unfortunately, that also gave me a view of the steadily approaching ground and I dropped my head between my knees. "Say anything to Victor and you're gonna be floating home."

Edward chuckled and rubbed my back soothingly. "Relax, love, I won't tell a soul."

One of the flight attendants approached me cautiously. "_E voce bom?_" she asked. (It means _are you well? _in Portuguese, I think. I couldn't figure out how to get the accents in)

"_Eu serei fino_," I replied weakly. (_I will be fine._)

The woman nodded and walked to her seat. She buckled herself in as the plane touched down. I allowed myself to breathe as we began piling out of the plane. The warm, Rio air calmed my stomach down. Edward and I walked through the streets and hailed a taxi. The sun still had yet to rise, but I could still make out Edward's face in the darkness.

We raced through the streets and I leaned my head against Edward's shoulder. I was getting tired. I hadn't slept the night before the wedding, and it was approaching twenty-four hours since we got on the plane. I would need some coffee, a _lot _of coffee.

The taxi stopped at the docks and I stared at the black water with fascination. There was something about an ocean at night that made the world seem so magical. My mother used to take me swimming at night when I was a little girl.

Edward paid the fare and we headed down to a yacht. Edward hopped in and I followed. Curiosity about where we were headed bloomed anew now that I wasn't worried about the plane. I wanted to ask Edward, but decided against it. I had a feeling that Edward wouldn't tell me anyway.

We took off and I hung off the side, searching for dolphins or whales, or at least some fish. None of them surfaced, but I detected a school of them swimming about twenty feet below the surface. I giggled and waved at them, not caring if I looked like an idiot. I was feeling way to blissful to concern myself with the prejudice of others. I jumped on the railing and began walking along, keeping my balance even as the boat lurched and manoeuvred around rocks.

I was having so much fun, that I didn't even see the island until Edward pointed it out. I looked at him curiously.

"That is Isle Esme."

I somehow managed not to fall off the edge of the boat. "Isle _Esme?_" I repeated.

"It was a gift from Carlisle. Esme let us borrow it."

"Of course it's a gift. Husbands give islands to their wives all the time," I said dully. "Hell, Victor wanted to give Kayla the world. Really, this isn't fazing me in the slightest."

Edward laughed as we docked. He grabbed the suitcases and beckoned me to follow him. I did so, still reeling at the thought of Carlisle giving Esme an _island_. I hadn't realized Edward's generosity was a learned behaviour.

We walked through a forest toward a huge house. I listened to the sounds of the animals that surrounded the area. Edward wouldn't have any trouble with getting hungry. I smirked as we approached the house. Edward opened the door and we walked inside. The inside décor was the standard for my vampire family; white with glass walls.

Edward led me through a few more rooms, turning on lights as we went even though neither of us needed them. We walked into a bedroom and my heart began to race. There was a huge white bed in the middle of the room, hung with billowy clouds of mosquito netting.

"I'm going to go get the rest of the luggage," Edward said. He promptly ran outside.

The room was warm. I was glad I didn't sweat. It would be so embarrassing to wake up and find my sheets soaked, not to mention the smell…

I took a deep breath and sifted through my bag. I pulled out my toiletries and felt a mixture of elation and shock as I realized what Alice had packed for me.

I pulled out a red lingerie nightgown and wondered what exactly I should do to thank her.

Edward choked as he entered the room and spotted the clothing. I hugged it to my chest and grinned at him sheepishly. He shook his head and put down the bags. "I'm going for a swim. Would you like to join me?"

I considered that. I was still tired, but I couldn't just go to bed, and that water was so inviting.

I nodded and gapped as Edward took off his shirt and walked out of the room. I gulped as I realized that Alice hadn't packed me a swimsuit. I had done a lot of things, but swimming naked was not one of them. Even in the army, I had always kept my shirt and underwear on when we got the chance to clean up in a river.

I walked into the bathroom and stripped down. My nervousness woke me up and my wide brown eyes stared back at me in the mirror. I took a deep breath and steadied myself. Edward was waiting for me.

I marched out with a towel wrapped around my torso. The full moon reflected off the water and guided me to Edward's frozen form. He stood like a stone in the darkness. Waves broke around him. I gathered my courage and dropped my towel. I waded through the water toward him, cautious of any fish that swam too close. Edward scared off most of the wildlife, but they didn't mind me.

He turned as I approached and I put my hand on his cheek. His topaz eyes stared down into mine and I felt his hand touch my waist. I took another step closer and leaned my head against his chest. "I love you," he whispered.

Then we began.

-

_I was back in Forks. I knew this because no other place I knew was so green. I was growling. There was something coming for me. My instincts were going haywire. A sob echoed in my head and I turned._

_A baby boy sat on the ground. His eyes were a brilliant green. His hair was dark brown and reached his ears. He looked so frightened._

_I heard a rustling noise behind me and turned around, prepared to defend this child. I crouched down as I saw the red eyes and the dark cloaks of the Volturi. My claws extended, the familiar burning pain awakening a primal bloodlust. And even though I didn't stand a chance, I lunged at them._

_-_

I woke with the sun warming my skin. I tried to remember what time I had gone to bed, but all I could remember was-

Edward pressed his lips to mine and rolled on top of me. I giggled and looked up at his face until something caught my attention.

"Oh, dear. I think you broke the bed." I let out another giggle as I realized that large chunks of wood had been gouged from the headboard.

"What do you mean, _I?_ You were participating too." He grinned at me.

I grimaced and pushed him away playfully. I began to sit up, only to find myself collapsing again. "Whoa! Head rush."

"You slept for a long time," he told me. "Twelve hours."

"_Twelve hours?_" I repeated, shocked. That was impossible. I hadn't slept more than six hours a night for decades. I must have been more tired than I thought.

My stomach growled. Another odd thing. I rarely got hungry, especially not after eaten so much just a few days before. "I'm starving," I said.

Edward swept me off my feet, thankfully not making me sick, and began to carry me into the kitchen.

"Can I at least get dressed?" I shouted, giggling.

Edward groaned as if in pain, but set me down. I crouched down and began hunting for something to wear. Alice's lingerie collection was fine for the bedroom, but I didn't think the housekeepers would be too impressed. I finally found a pair of jeans, designer of course, and a sleeveless white shirt.

Edward grumbled as he watched. I smacked him. "Put something on. We don't want to freak out the housekeepers." He rolled his eyes but did as I asked.

I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge. I pulled out a carton of eggs and some bacon. I then buttered up a frying pan and turned on the stove. Edward strolled in behind me. "I could have cooked for you," he said.

"I'm not an invalid, Edward," I muttered as I popped some bread into the toaster.

Edward spun me around and kissed me again. "I know you aren't. It's just that I like taking care of you." He groaned and swore under his breath. I heard the sounds of a boat approaching. "I'll get the door," he said. He ran off.

I turned back around as my toast popped out. My eggs and bacon were still cooking. I buttered the toast while I waited for the eggs to finish. Once they did, I slid them onto a plate and began stuffing my face. I listened as Edward spoke to the housekeepers, telling them to come back in a few days. When the bacon finished, I didn't even bother putting it on a plate and simply shoved it into my mouth. I knew I was being a pig, but I was _starving._

Edward came back in just as I started doing the dishes. His eyes widened. "You're finished already?"

I shrugged. "I was hungry." Thankfully, my stomach had settled down a bit. "Let's go for a swim."

Edward grinned. "Aren't you supposed to wait an hour?" I rolled my eyes and darted past him. "Don't you want to wait until the housekeepers are out of sight?"

"Let them watch," I called back as I disrobed.

Edward followed behind me. "I can't believe I'm saying this," he groaned. "But we'll have to wait until tonight. I can't have someone seeing me out in the sunlight."

I sighed and put my shirt back on. "That's right. I forgot. Well, there goes my day."

Edward chuckled and lifted me up. "There are _other _things to do," he said.

-

Edward's POV

I was happy. For the first time in decades, I was completely blissed out as Bella would say. The girl in question was draped over my chest, her warm skin never suffering the ill effects of my stone body. It was as if she was made to love a vampire. She hmmed contently, and I brushed my hands over her hair.

Bella awoke with a start. Panic brimmed in her eyes. "Bathroom," she gasped, covering her mouth. I understood immediately and raced her to the toilet. She gagged for several minutes. Her half-digested food smelled even worse than it usually did, but I endured.

This had been happening every morning for three days. I rubbed her back soothingly. "Are you sure you don't want to see Carlisle?" I asked.

She spat and flushed the toilet. She turned on the sink and washed her mouth out. She stood up, panting. "Maybe we _should _head back tomorrow. I'm so sorry, Edward."

"It's fine, Bella," I reassured her.

"This is just so strange," she murmured. "I've never been sick before, I mean, not since I was a kid."

There was a tentative knock at the door.

"It's the housekeepers. I can send them away-"

"No, just let them do their jobs. I'll be fine. I just need a shower."

I reluctantly left Bella in the bathroom and allowed the housekeepers, Kaure and Gustavo. Kaure gave me a pensive look.

_Something wrong with these people._

I gave her my most relaxing smile and went to check on Bella. She was dressed in a powder blue shirt and a white skirt. We definitely needed our laundry done.

I wrapped my arms around her. "Are you feeling better now?" I asked.

She nodded hesitantly. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Maybe Victor will know what's up. He's been around longer than me."

"Bella," I turned her around and stared at her. She wouldn't meet my eyes. "_Are _you alright?"

"My stomach keeps hurting. I don't know what it is." She looked up. "I'm so sorry I'm ruining the honeymoon."

I laughed at her and pulled her to my chest. "It's fine, Bella. I'm just so worried. We'll probably have a few more weddings and honeymoons in the future, anyway."

A loud gasp sounded out behind me. _Libishomen! _I looked behind me and saw that it was Kaure.

Bella looked over. "_Ola!_"she said politely.

Kaure relaxed when she saw Bella was unharmed.

"_Eu sou pesarosa,_" she apologized. I gave her another relaxing smile.

"She thought you were eating me, huh?" Bella asked with a crooked grin.

I smiled back. "Kaure's part Ticuna Indian. She was raised to be more aware of things like me. She thinks I'm a _Libishomen_; a blood-drinking demon who preys on beautiful women."

"Flattering," Bella quipped. Her stomach made a rumbling noise. "That's it! I'm taking some Pepto-Bismol." She then began to search through the bathroom cupboards for her medicine.

I left her to go explain the bedroom to Kaure. She didn't buy my excuse in the slightest, but she couldn't prove anything either.

I headed back to the bathroom only to find Bella frozen with a box of tampons in her hand.

"What?" I asked, dreading the answer. As far as I knew, Bella didn't get her period. She was as frozen as my sisters and mother in that regard.

"I'm not on my period, but I'm due right about now." She paused, and stared at the wall. "Yeah…three years…that's my average lately."

I saw something absolutely terrifying. Her stomach seemed to expand, as if someone had punched her from the inside. I realized that I had stopped breathing. Bella's hand dropped to her stomach and she lifted up her shirt.

Oh, _god._

Bella's stomach was always smooth and slightly muscular no matter what she ate. I certainly didn't recall a bump just below her navel.

"The dreams," she muttered. "Sleeping so much. All that food." Her eyes suddenly spilled over with tears. "Oh my god. Edward, I think I'm pregnant."

My mind froze. I couldn't process anything. This was unheard of. This was impossible.

Some distant, half-conscious part of my mind noted that Bella was talking, only not to me. She had my phone in her hand. How long had I been standing there?

"I don't know. I haven't had my period in three years." A pause. "Well, of _course_ it's unusual! Is anything about me normal?" Another pause. "I've been sleeping so much, and eating all the time and I could swear something just _moved _inside of me!"

I snapped my head to her stomach, and sure enough, I could see the subtle signs of movement. I held out my hand for the phone. Bella passed it over.

"Edward?" my father's voice asked, bringing me closer to the real world.

"Is it possible?" I asked, and waited for him to tell me that I was insane, that vampires couldn't procreate with humans. As if he actually _knew _that for sure!

"It might be." He sighed. "I think you should come home, now."

"Of course," I said. I hung up. "Go out to the boat. I'll pack our things," I told Bella. She started to walk away, but I seized her in a hug and released her before she could push me away. I had failed her. I had tried to protect her and now…I was killing her. "I promise, Bella, I'll fix this. Carlisle will get that thing out before it can hurt you." I turned away quickly, not wanting to see the accusation in her eyes.

There was a knock at the door.

I cursed, realizing that it was Gustavo's day to clean. "I'll be right back." I left to talk to him. He seemed a little annoyed that I was sending him away again, but one angry look from me sent him scurrying away. If I weren't so furious and frightened, I would have smiled.

Bella was still standing in the bathroom, my cell phone clutched in her hand. She seemed to snap out of a daze when she saw me. "Come on, let's go. We have a plane to catch."

-

Not bad. It could use a little work, but I got through the first part of Breaking Dawn in just over 6000 words. Like I said earlier, I'm editing out most of the werewolf stuff, but we _are_ going to get a better look at Bella and Victor's past. And the baby? Well, you'll just have to wait and see.

Later!


	22. Chapter 22

Wolverine

Ack! I hate online translators! The Portuguese translations were wrong. In addition, my dang Microsoft Works won't let me copy and paste stuff from the internet. It shuts down my program if I try. I hate that.

On a different note, I've had two snow days out here. I love Canada.

Kjate95 - Wolverine _can _die, and so, Bella can die too. I mean, you try having a half-vampire rip through your stomach and shatter your spine. Bella might be immortal, but she's never been that severely injured before. I have a lovely surprise for those of you who wonder how I'm going to save her.

I know a lot of you hated the whole _Jake imprints on Renesmee_ thing, but when you think about it, it was completely necessary. If Jacob hadn't imprinted on her, he would have killed her, and the wolves and the vampires would have fought to the death. If the wolves hadn't been there when the Volturi showed up, they wouldn't have stopped and most of the Cullens probably would have died along with their witnesses. See, everything is connected; you just have to be unbiased to find them.

I'm rambling, aren't I? Never mind; just enjoy the rest of my story. I figure I can have it done in ten chapters or less. I'm going for less. I want to get back to _Hunter _as soon as possible.

My computer has been on the fritz, so I have to do a complete restore this Saturday. This shouldn't effect my writing too much. I've saved most of my files on disks _and_ emailed my drafts to my mom and me.

My brain has been going haywire with ideas. Apparently, I'm going to deviate a lot from the book. I have some interesting plot twists. For those of you who like X-Men, you're going to be meeting one of the smoothest characters in a little while.

-

"_You're wrong, lil' darlin'. There's something I can do real good. The real thing I do best. I don't give up. Ever."_

_-_

Victor's POV

I stood near the television, looking out the window.

"Grandpa, you better stop scratching your chin. I can hear your fingernails scraping bone," Bella said. I realized that my fingernails were extended, and indeed, I _was _scratching my chin. It was time for a shave.

"Yeah, no problem," I murmured, putting my hands in my pockets. I tried not to look at her, but I caught a glimpse of her stomach out of the corner of my eye. I shuddered and turned back to the window.

I sniffed.

"Jake's coming," I said mildly. I could hear his wolf-feet padding on the ground.

Edward groaned. That guy was a mess. If nothing else, that should have been enough to convince Bella to stop this, but of course, she always _was _stubborn.

"I'll send him away," Carlisle said.

"Why?" Bella asked. I heard the couch groan as she shifted. "Are we keeping secrets from him, too?"

Well, it's not as if we could tell Charlie or Renée, or anyone really.

This sucked. This really sucked.

I heard Jacob walk in. Esme tapped my shoulder. I looked at her, seeing Bella clutching her swollen stomach off to the side. "Here's something to eat, Victor." She held out two baloney sandwiches.

I took them slowly, like my hands were moving through water. "Thank you, ma'am." I began to eat. My mouth moved automatically. I couldn't even taste the food anymore, but I needed it if I wanted to keep healing.

That's what was wrong with Bella. She couldn't eat. That _damned thing _made her throw up everything. How was she supposed to heal if she couldn't eat? How did she expect to survive this if she couldn't heal?

"Bella?" Jacob's voice was shocked. I didn't turn around. I was a coward.

"Hi, Jake."

God, she sounded _so weak._

I heard a cracking sound and flinched. Bella gasped in pain. For a moment, she breathed deeply through her mouth before settling down. "It's okay, Jacob. I'm alright." I could sense her smiling at him. Of course, she would want to reassure her friend. "I heal fast, remember?"

But more slowly every day.

She had been home for a week and a half. She had been pregnant for at least two. This thing was killing her. No matter how fast she healed now, she wouldn't be able to survive the trauma the thing would inflict when it was time to be born.

Carlisle had researched these things. They clawed their way out through their mothers' stomachs.

She wouldn't survive that; not when she was so weak and healed so slowly. She would bleed out, or her heart would stop, or her organs would fail before any of that happened. Her bones were strong, but she was still squishy and human on the inside. She wouldn't be able to eat with a rock hard digestive tract.

"You-you son of a-" I felt a shiver go up my spine and realized that Jacob was about to phase. Before he could even get out the last word, I had him by the throat.

Jacob was huge, taller than me, but I was able to lift him up a few inches off the ground. "I swear to god, puppy dog, if you do anything to upset Bella, I'll rip your scrotum out."

Jake gasped. "Should have…done that to the…_frigging leech!_" I dropped him to the ground.

"He didn't know. None of us knew. So just keep your cool." I went back to my window. I was worrying Bella, but I couldn't do anything. I couldn't even sleep.

"Go take a shower, grandpa. You stink." Bella tried to laugh, but ended up coughing. I cringed and did what she asked. The running water drowned out the sounds of her choking. Jacob left, probably to go sulk in the woods. I didn't care.

I changed into some clean clothes and went back to the living room. It had been changed around while I was gone. The furniture was pushed up against the walls, though none near my brooding spot. Carlisle and Esme were gone, probably hunting. Bella was lying in a hospital bed with an IV in her arm. She wasn't thinner, but her skin was so pasty and translucent that she might as well have been. Edward and Rosalie sat by her sides, petting her, comforting her.

I felt a rush of guilt and walked to her bed. I took her hand. "You know, I've been thinking."

She turned to me. There were dark circles under her eyes. "About what?" she asked, suspicious.

"About our old team."

I saw her eyes flash in recognition. "You mean Stryker's team."

"Same difference," I murmured. "But, I've been thinking of all the things we did, all the people we killed. I'm thinking that this is karma, that this is my punishment. I just got you back."

"I'll be fine," she said, annoyed.

"Maybe," I conceded. "But I've been thinking more along the lines of what Stryker was planning for us. Before you left, do you remember what he was looking for?"

"Of _course_ I do. It was that damned meteor rock. He wouldn't shut up about it. He was worse than Wade." A smile crept up on her face. "Well, maybe that's an exaggeration. Where is Wade, anyway?"

"Dead, I think. He got into the vigilante business back in the eighties. Called himself Deadpool."

Bella chuckled. "Rhymes with _dead fool_."

I had to laugh. The same thing had crossed my mind.

"So," Bella began, trying to sit up. "What _was _Stryker planning on doing with it?"

"You mean, what _did _Stryker do with it?"

Bella's eyes narrowed. "He found the rest of it?"

"Yep, and honey, you won't _believe _what he planned to use it for." Bella glared at me in annoyance. I realized that it probably wasn't a good idea to tick off a pregnant woman who could impale me at any time. "He built a lab on this island and experimented on people like us. You know, people who could heal. He wanted to use it to make us stronger, faster, and more resistant to injury."

Edward eyes widened as he heard this. I saw hope brim in his eyes for the first time. "Did any of these experiments work?"

I scrunched up my nose. "I only stuck around for as long as the first two experiments, and they were failures. The people couldn't heal fast enough. The procedure was to…bond this metal alloy found inside the meteor…to their skeletons."

Bella choked, and I worried that she was going to stop breathing, but she settled down. "Okay, why are you bringing this up? Stryker was executed decades ago for crimes against humanity."

"Yeah but, the place he did his experiments is still untouched."

"Because nobody knows where it is?" Bella guessed.

"You got it," I said.

She narrowed her eyes. "How does this help us?"

"You saw how hard that meteor was. You tried to break it, and it didn't even crack. It's _hard, _Bella, hard enough to withstand the force of a nuclear blast, hard enough to protect you from the thing growing inside you. Or at the very least, it would speed up your healing afterwards so that you actually have a chance to survive." The words just rushed out of my mouth. I felt a sudden giddiness, even more so than when I had thought of the plan earlier.

Edward turned around and growled. "What now?" It was the first anger he'd experienced since Bella had told him about wanting to keep the baby. He must have been feeling better.

I listened and picked up the sound of two wolves running at breakneck speed toward us. Bella smiled. "I think it's Jake and Seth."

"Probably," I agreed. We waited for a few minutes as Edward went to talk to them.

"They want to kill Bella?" he asked, disbelieving. Bella and I frowned. Rosalie hissed and stroked Bella's hair. "Em, Jazz, not _them!_ The others. The pack is coming."

"What's _their _problem?" Emmett asked.

"The same one as mine," Edward hissed. "But they have their own plan to handle it. Get the others. Call Carlisle! He and Esme have to get back here now. They aren't far," he said as if to reassure someone. I assumed it was Jacob. Seth ran off, I supposed to keep watch for any stray wolves.

Edward began to have a one-way conversation with Jacob and I tuned them out. Bella seemed to be drifting off. I felt Jacob phase and turned away from my granddaughter. "Sorry about earlier, Jake."

"Sure sure," he murmured, staring at Bella's face. "It's like she's being eaten alive," he whispered.

Edward walked in behind him. "She is. The…foetus is sucking up all the nutrients in her body. It's not letting her eat either. At this rate, she won't be able to heal fast enough to recover from her injuries. We just can't figure out what it _wants._"

"Stupid bloodsucking baby," Jacob muttered.

"I heard that, Jake," she mumbled, rolling her head to the side. She smiled at him, and then frowned. "Bloodsucking?" she asked no one. Her eyes widened. "Why didn't I think of that?" she gasped.

I worried that she was going losing it for a second, but then I caught on. "It's half-vampire," I breathed. I stood up and began to pace. My nails lengthened and I dug them into my hair, slicing off a good deal of it. "Damn, we are so _stupid!_ We've been sitting on the answer all along!"

Edward looked at me as if I had lost my mind. I remembered that he couldn't hear my thoughts and realized that I wasn't making any sense. "It's half-vampire, Edward! What do vampires eat?" I asked.

I saw the knowledge dawn on his face. "Blood. That's what it needs."

Exhilaration ran through my veins. I was pumped. We had a plan. If this thing got what it needed, then maybe Bella could actually _eat _something. Her strength would build up, and she could survive.

There was a short debate, ending with Bella agreeing to drink some blood straight out. This was probably the grossest thing I could ever imagine, but if it saved her life…well, chug away, baby girl.

We stared at her like she was an exhibit at a famous museum. She held a cup in her shaky hands and sipped the blood through a straw. I watched for any subtle signs of her getting better.

The results were instantaneous.

Colour returned to her face. The pasty skin of her arms seemed to fill with warmth. She wasn't so cold to the touch. She looked human again. She smiled as she finished. "I think it worked." I wanted to lean over and hug her, but settled for a high-five instead.

"I'm starving," she said. Before she could start complaining, Esme had a sandwich in front of her. She crammed it into her mouth with exuberance. "I had forgotten what it's like to be hungry. Is there anything else to eat?"

"You can clean out the whole fridge," I told her. Jacob still looked a little sick, but he seemed a lot more relaxed now that Bella looked better. I saw her rubbing her stomach absently and wondered if our problems were over. Bella was stronger now, but what about the baby? I knew that human blood could affect the strength of vampires. What would it do to the thing growing inside Bella? Did we just make it worse? Would it have been better to starve the thing and hope that Bella could last another couple weeks?

Frankly, I didn't think Bella had that long. Judging from how fast this thing was growing, I didn't even think she had _one_ week.

"I still think we should get the rock," I stated.

Bella looked at me, bewildered. "I'm fine, Victor." The others seemed ready to agree, before Bella suddenly clutched her stomach and gasped. Her eyes went wide and I heard a crack, louder than before.

"I think we just made it stronger," I finished. "Damn, Murphy's Law; anything that _can _go wrong _will_ go wrong."

"I'm healing faster, now," she breathed. "I think I can make it, even if he _does _rip through my stomach." She made a face.

Damn. I had hoped Carlisle had kept that piece of information secret from her.

"Besides, who even knows where Stryker's island is? Our old team? Wade's dead. Who else is there? Bradley?"

"Used his power too much and died of a stroke."

"Fred?"

"Gained three-hundred pounds and died of a heart attack."

"John?"

"Alzheimer's. He can barely remember his own name."

"Not David North! The guy hates my guts! He'll probably dance on my grave."

"Only as a demon. The guy's been dead for twenty years. But listen, it's not the old team I was thinking about." I leaned in closer to her. "I heard rumours that one of Stryker's experiments worked. He found some kid who could control kinetic energy, or whatever the hell it's called. Said he could use it to make the molecules of his body heal at an accelerated rate. He was the last guy Stryker experimented on before he was arrested. I figure he knows where the island is."

Bella got this look on her face, like she was trying to figure something out. "Do you know his name?"

"No," I said. "But maybe I can find his scent. I know what the metal smells like and I heard some of the guys call him Gambit because he kept beating them at cards."

Her eyes widened. "Remy Lebeau," she murmured.

"Huh?" I asked with my greatest articulation.

Bella smirked. "I think I know where to find this guy. I know who this _Gambit _is."

My eyebrows rose up to my hairline. "Do you have an address?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "But I know where to find him." She smirked. "Vegas."

We all stared at her, mystified.

"Just look for the guy who's winning and whatever you do, _don't _say you're a friend. Guys like Remy don't have friends."

"And you know him how?" I asked suspiciously.

"Saved his life," she shrugged. "He got in trouble with some not-so-friendly security guards at a private game and I helped him out. And, now that I think about it, he _did _smell like the alloy. I hadn't realized he was with Stryker."

"I don't think he volunteered. This Remy guy might not like me bringing up old memories. How exactly should I go about acquiring his services?" I narrowed my eyes as I thought of a few ways to _make _him talk.

She snorted. "The only things Remy likes are sex, money and gambling. I'm not in the mood for cards or putting out, but we ain't exactly livin' in the slums, bub. Take half a million out of our savings, give him half, and when he takes you to the island, give him the other half. He'd probably take you for free just to show off his helicopter, but it's better to be prepared." She shut her eyes, as if the conversation was wearing her out. "Say an old sparring partner needs his help."

"Sparring partner; check." I turned to Jacob. "Come on, wolf-boy," I said.

He looked at me in surprise. "What?"

"You're coming with me. I need someone to watch my back. Seth doesn't look old enough to pass for twenty-one and the Cullens like up like the fourth of July in the sunlight. You'll do."

"Why don't you take Leah?" he asked. "She's bugging me too. I'm sure she'd _love _to go to another state."

"No time," I said. "I ain't gonna chase down your girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," Jacob muttered, but he followed me as I headed to the garage.

"Take the Vanquish," Edward said. "It's the fastest."

I nodded and we set out for Nevada.

-

There! Everybody happy? I'm doing the frigging adamantium skeleton! Jeez! If you've never seen X-Men Origins, you need to go see it. Taylor Kitsch is _hot_ as Gambit.

I'll write more as soon as I can.


	23. Chapter 23

Wolverine

Okay, so I lied. Erasing all the files from your computer and reinstalling them _does _affect one's ability to update a story online. Blame the viruses; _they _ruin everything.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks Taylor Kitsch is hot. I first saw him in Covenant. _So _gorgeous! I've been looking up everything I can find about Gambit so I'll know how to portray him. I don't read or watch X-Men that often, so my knowledge is somewhat lacking. Wikipedia is my friend.

Don't worry TwilightFreak1609; all will be explained.

Kendall94 - Nope, never been to Vegas. I'm hoping Google map can help me.

I need to hurry. I only have until April 6th before I need to return Breaking Dawn. Expect rapid updates this March Break; up to once a day if I'm dedicated.

I'm writing this chapter in a hospital waiting room. Mom's feeling crappy. The doctors screwed up her surgery and she's in a lot of pain. We're probably going to be stuck here until after 8:00 p.m. It's 4:00 now, to give you a reference. At least I have my laptop.

Scratch that. It's 5:30 and mom was just called in. That's great. I really need a shower.

It's 6:30 and it's time to leave. Mom's feeling better. I love how the sun stays out longer these days.

Enjoy the quote, and the chapter, as late as it is.

-

"_Sabretooth's got his uses. He's got the sheer guts and total lack o' fear to try some nigh impossible things and pull 'em off."_

-

Victor's POV

If there was one place I loved, it was Vegas.

You could call it the City of Sin, or a gambler's paradise, but its businesses were just looking to entertain you, no matter how freaky you liked your entertainment.

It might have been a mistake on my part to take Jacob. He stuck out, and not just because he was almost seven feet tall. As old as he looked, when he stared up at the neon signs promising cheap lap dances and exotic performances, you knew he was still a kid.

"Keep sharp, Jake! The last thing we need is some bouncer asking for I.D., so at least _try _to look like you've done this before." I grinned at him as we shouldered our way through the crowd.

Jacob glared at me. "Have _you _done something like this before?" he asked rudely.

I grinned wider. "I'm a permanent bachelor. Not a lot of women stay young forever, although most seem willing to do anything to accomplish just that."

Jacob snorted, but he straightened up a little. We shouldered our way into a casino. I sniffed the air experimentally. Yes, I could smell the metal. Remy Lebeau was close.

I tapped Jacob on the shoulder and pointed to a crowded poker table. "You think he's there?" I asked.

He inhaled deeply and shrugged. "I can't pinpoint the smell. He could be anywhere."

"Let's go see, anyway," I said, unwilling to give up. Bella didn't have the time. I had driven two straight days to get to Vegas. I was tired and hungry, and if I didn't find this Remy Lebeau soon, I was going to get _angry_.

Nobody wanted to see me _angry._

Jacob held back as I sat at the table, still inhaling subtly. "Mind if I cut in?" I asked, flashing two sets of razor-sharp teeth at the intoxicated gamblers. They flinched back predictably. I did so love the perks of being a freak.

"Not at all, _Monsieur_," one of the younger men said smoothly. He had a heavy Cajun accent.

I locked eyes with him. His black hat made this difficult as it was tilted low over his forehead. He wore a dark blue button up shirt. He was a good-looking kid, no older than twenty-one.

I sniffed again.

Scratch that. This kid was no kid.

"Are you Remy Lebeau?" I asked.

The boy held up a handful of cards and dropped them into his other hand. "Do I owe you money?" he asked.

"Nope," I said easily.

The boy took off his hat in a show of greeting. "Then Remy Lebeau, I am." He grinned at me. "And who might you be?"

"I know an old sparring partner of yours." I hoped he would take the hint. For some reason, those cards looked dangerous in his hands, sharp enough to cut through bone.

Lebeau put his hat back on and shuffled the cards again. His fingers were quick by human standards. I bet he would have made a good magician.

"_Really?_" he asked, exaggerating the word.

I was watching his hands, so I didn't notice his eyes change colour until it was too late. They glowed as bright red as a newborn vampire's. And, of course, since I was looking at his eyes, I didn't see the cards move until they were smashing into my chest.

Jacob had the good sense to get out of my way as I crashed through the side wall of the casino and landed in an alley.

I brushed myself off as I got to my feet. Lebeau ran out into the alley faster than any human could ever hope to. In his right hand was a long narrow staff.

"Oh, fu-" was what I managed to choke out before I found myself being treated like a baseball on the bottom of the ninth. I heard a crunch as I collapsed at the other end of the alley. My ribs dug into my lungs but they quickly healed.

I felt a shiver go up my spine and I looked up to see Jacob in his wolf form. Lebeau seemed much less willing to take on the ten-foot wolf and I used that to my advantage. "Listen, Lebeau, we ain't here to hurt you. We need your help."

Lebeau looked at me. His eyes were wide with fear. "What do you want? Who are you?"

"My name's Victor Creed. That's Jacob. He looks tough, but he's a softy at heart."

Lebeau seemed disinclined to believe me about Jake, but I ignored that for the sake of time.

"Do you know a girl named Bella Logan?" I asked. I hoped the kid had fond memories of her.

Well, not _too _fond. I didn't want to test Edward's control…or mine.

We were in luck. Lebeau registered the name, and a smile broke out on his face. "_Me oui_. Is Bella still as beautiful as her name suggests?"

Jacob snarled something that sounded suspiciously like a curse word, but he was still in his wolf-form, so I couldn't be sure.

"I wouldn't know, bub. I'm her grandfather. I'm biased. Her husband certainly thinks so, though," I said dryly.

It was much better in the long run to crush all hope.

Lebeau's smile dropped a fraction, but he didn't seem on the verge of attacking me again. That was a good sign, right?

Man, I had a pretty pessimistic view on people.

"Look, Lebeau, I don't have a lot of time to chat. Actually, _Bella _doesn't have a lot of time. She's dying, slim, and we need your help to save her."

Lebeau's smile dropped completely as he registered the seriousness of the situation. "What do you need me for?"

"Do you remember Stryker's island?"

He flinched and nodded.

"Do you think you could take me and Lassie to it?" I asked, gesturing to Jacob. Jake seemed a little offended by the nickname, but preoccupied himself with glaring at Lebeau.

"What is there that will save Bella?" Lebeau asked, crossing his arms.

"I'm hoping Stryker's adamantium bonding equipment is still functional. Bella's body is deteriorating, and it's the only thing I can think of that might save her."

I watched as Lebeau's face went pale. He stared at us in horror. "_Mon dieu! _There must be another way," he whispered.

"There might be," I agreed. "But by the time anyone thinks of it, Bella might be dead. This is our best shot. So, are you going to help us?"

Lebeau frowned at the ground. "I will show you where it is."

I blinked in surprise. "Well, that was easy. I didn't even have to mention the money."

Lebeau's eyes shot up to my face. "Money?" he asked, smiling.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a large roll of thousand dollar bills. I hadn't realized money came in that size until I met the Cullens.

Lebeau walked forward passed Jacob and took the cash. He slid a finger over the edges, making the money curl and straighten in his hands. He tucked the cash into his pocket. "Why didn't you mention this earlier. You could have saved yourself a beating."

I growled out an unpleasant word. "You're lucky I need directions or I'd kill you right here, bub. You might consider getting lost once we get what we came for, though. I got a nose that can tell what kind of deodorant you were using last year, and you better hope I give you a head start, or I'll find you."

Lebeau took a step back and smiled. He bowed dramatically and began to lead the way out of the alley.

Jacob made a whining sound and I realized we had another issue.

"Don't tell me you ripped your only outfit!" I grumbled.

Underneath all of Jake's fur, I thought he looked repentant.

Lebeau looked on with some amusement. "There is a men's clothing store just around the corner. What size is he?"

"He's bigger than me. Does that help?" I asked. I was no good with clothing sizes. If the shoe fit, or in this case, the pants, what did it matter what size they were?

Lebeau rolled his eyes. "I will ask for something very large," he said. He then took off around the corner. I kept one ear out just in case he decided to take the money and run, but, in a show of intelligence, he walked back with a pair of brown pants and a white body builder shirt in hand.

Jacob phased back to his human form and got dressed. The pants were a little too short, but it couldn't be helped.

I eyed the hole in the wall and wondered why no one had come to investigate. But then again, it _was _Vegas.

Lebeau led us to a classy blue Chevrolet and started up the engine. "We can take my helicopter. The island is far out in the Pacific. I do hope we don't encounter turbulence."

"Don't jinx us," I muttered.

-

"I told you not to jinx us!" I yelled as the helicopter twisted wildly in the sky.

Lebeau laughed. "Don't worry. My baby can take it." He stroked the dashboard lovingly. "I won her in a game; jacks over fives."

I held onto my seatbelt as we dove down through the clouds.

"Not a fan of flying?" Jacob asked. He stood behind me, keeping a good grip on my seat.

I growled. "I will skin you alive if you don't shut up." Jake laughed, but did what I told him. "How much longer?" I asked.

Lebeau looked at the monitors in front of him. "We're almost there. It won't take longer than two minutes."

I groaned as we dove down lower. The turbulence increased and Jacob stumbled a little. I shut my eyes tightly as the Pacific Ocean rushed up to meet us.

The helicopter stabilized and I relaxed. We were on solid ground again. Lebeau shut off the rotor system and I took off my seatbelt.

We walked outside and stared.

Stryker really was nuts. He had built his laboratory under a nuclear reactor.

"Good choice, _no? _People will never find it here. They're afraid they will turn into freaks," Lebeau commented.

"Like you?" I asked rhetorically. He ignored that.

"Where do we start?" Jacob asked.

I looked around. I doubted that Lebeau could see that well in the darkness. "Underground. Stryker never showed me or the guys where the island was, but I knew we were underground. If we can't find the entrance, we'll make one." I started sniffing the air, trying to find a scent that would lead me to the entrance of his lab. I soon picked one up, so faint that it was hard to track, but I did it. Jake and Lebeau followed behind me as I raced for the nearest reactor. I let my nails grow out and sliced open a door.

The inside was too dark for Lebeau, but I could see just fine.

So, maybe we _weren't _underground after all.

The lab looked like it had been forgotten. It wasn't messy, although there was a thick layer of dust over every surface. The monitors were cracked and the buttons on the control panel looked worn, but other than that, it looked okay.

I strode passed the monitoring area, through the door next to a glass wall, and jumped over the guardrail into the operating room.

It was just as I remembered it.

The metal table was suspended over a pool of water long gone stale. Restraints were soldered onto it to hold down the thrashing _patients_. Anaesthesia didn't work on Bella and me. Our bodies burned it off too quickly for it to be of any use. I could only assume that Stryker's _volunteers_ shared the same quirk.

An ancient bulb flickered on and Lebeau hesitantly climbed down the stairs. "This place is what I imagine hell will be like."

"How do you know?" I asked him. "You ever been there?"

"I fear I will go there when I die…if I die."

"Can we get out of here?" Jacob asked. He sounded almost as freaked as the Cajun.

"Not yet," I said impatiently. "We've got to gather up this equipment." I pointed to the long, intimidating needles attached to the operating table. "The metal alloy inside has to be kept at extremely hot temperatures. I can hear it bubbling inside. Can you?"

Jake cocked his head and listened. He nodded slowly. "How are we going to transfer it?"

I reached down and pulled out a screw from the operating table. "Take it apart, and carry it out to the helicopter. Try not to damage the containers. I don't know how long they'll keep warm, and it'll be almost impossible to boil the metal again on short notice. Bella will probably need the surgery as soon as we get back." I finished unscrewing the containers from the table. I tossed one to Jake. He caught it with a start. "You're always running a fever anyway, kid. They'll last longer this way." I tossed the second one and he caught it with an astounding show of grace.

Lebeau was looking around the room as if he expected the ghost of Stryker to pop out and kill him. "Can we leave now?" he asked.

"Sure," I said, looking around too to make sure I hadn't missed anything. If I had to, I would do the surgery myself. I hoped Carlisle could help out. I would feel a lot better if a guy who spent over two-hundred years practising medicine would do it.

Jake led us back out. Lebeau seemed to relax once we exited the operating room. He rushed to his helicopter as Jacob got inside and stood in the back with the containers. They looked like grey, oversized fire extinguishers.

"Don't drop those," I warned as I climbed in the passenger side. Jacob snorted.

Lebeau started up the rotors. "Where is Bella?" he asked.

"Washington, up near the Olympic Peninsula. She's been living in this small town called Forks. Do you know where that is?"

Lebeau grinned. "If I step on it, we can make it in less than an hour."

-

_Stepping on it _was what Lebeau did. Honestly, I think he enjoyed watching me flip out more than he wanted to hurry to save Bella. Oh well, the results were the same. I hoped that Bella didn't figure out that I shared her fear of flying. I doubted that she would appreciate the irony of my own teasing over the years.

Lebeau set the helicopter down in the Cullen's backyard. I composed myself as I stepped out. It was raining. Grey clouds hung low in the sky and thunder rumbled close by.

Carlisle stood outside, watching us. He breathed a sigh of relief. "I was worried you wouldn't make it in time."

"We're not out of the woods yet, Doc," I told him.

Jacob stepped out of the copter with the containers clutched to his chest. "They're cooling down, Victor. Where should I put them?"

"Is that the equipment?" Carlisle asked. Jake nodded. "Bring them upstairs. Jasper will show you where the hospital room is."

"Sure thing," Jacob said. He rushed inside.

"Should I take off?" Lebeau asked. He leaned out of his copter and brushed his hair back.

"Yes" "No" Me and Carlisle said at the same time. We looked at each other, me with annoyance, and him with confusion.

"Victor!" Bella's agitated voice called out. "Don't be a dick! Come on in Remy!" she called to him cheerfully.

Lebeau grinned and strolled inside. I growled low in my throat and followed after. Carlisle raised an eyebrow at me and I shook my head.

Edward and Rosalie stood at opposite corners of the room. They looked about ready to kill each other, or maybe that was just wishful thinking on my part. Emmett sat on the couch, humour in his eyes. I heard Jasper telling Jacob where to set the containers down. Alice was still upstairs nursing a headache. Esme flitted around the room; wiping dust off every surface, setting up the books on the shelves nicely, etc.

Bella was still propped up in her hospital bed. Remy stared at her stomach open-mouthed. His eyes flickered up to her face and the shock melted away.

"Still as beautiful as ever, _mon chéri."_

_-_

_Okay, you can hit me now. At least it's March Break. I have to baby-sit my cousins for a few hours tonight, but I'll be sure to start on the next chapter. I swear on my own grave, I will never leave you hanging like this for so long ever again. Like I said, I only have a few weeks to finish this._

_I will forever by your devoted author._


	24. Chapter 24

Wolverine

Last chapter was kind of short, but I'll make it up to you with this one.

I was going to write more earlier this morning, but my mom had a bit of an _accident _upstairs in the bathroom and I had to help her clean up. Her gall bladder needs to be removed. I have to tell you, there is nothing grosser than bile in your stool. The smell alone was enough to make me question if my mother was human or some sort of swamp creature in disguise. I have to go with her for a CAT Scan at the hospital.

Xavier2163 - You have some points. But, for this story, the metal is going to help her heal faster and become stronger, if she survives that is.

I just realized that I've written almost twenty-five chapters and that this story is longer than Firestarter. And it's still not finished!

-

_If yer expecting me t' run over an' give you a lovin' embrace, yer barkin' up th' wrong tree._

-

Bella's POV

Remy strolled across the room and knelt down next to me. He took my hand in his and brought it up to his lips. I giggled. "Always such a charmer, Remy. You'd flirt with your own executioner if she were a woman."

"Especially her," he agreed with a grin. "I might persuade her to botch the job."

I giggled again. "Better watch out, my husband's got a temper." I looked at Edward and found that he was almost seething with jealousy. "What? It's nice to have someone look at me without barely-concealed horror. It's not like I slept with him or anything."

Remy muttered a French curse and said, "Don't remind me." He peered at my enlarged stomach with curiosity. "Is _this _the problem?"

I gritted my teeth. "He's not a _problem_. He's just really strong and it's making it hard for me to heal fast enough. Victor thought it would be a good idea to fly out to Stryker's island to find the adamantium Stryker was experimenting with."

Remy grinned, as if he were going to say something funny, but Victor cleared his throat threateningly and he wisely chose to say something else. "So, it's a boy?"

I bit my lip. "_I _think so, but we can't get a clear ultrasound, so it's anybody's gue-" I gasped as I felt a strong kick to my gut. For a second, the breath was knocked out of me and I struggled for air.

Remy put his hands on my stomach. "No, no _chéri, _you're hurting your mother." I felt the baby settle down inside of me as he crooned. My vampire family leaned forward, engrossed in what was happening. Jasper and Jacob finally came downstairs, the former seeming a little unnerved. I wondered if Remy's scent was as tempting as a normal human's, or if the metal alloy dulled it.

Remy grinned. "I guess that settles that. It's a girl."

I pouted as Edward took a step forward. "How can you tell?" he asked Remy.

I chose to answer. "Remy has a subtle, pheromone-based ability. It's kind of like what Jasper can do, only it can only be used to influence you to feel positive emotions, and it only works on girls. It doesn't work on me, though."

"Unfortunately," Remy murmured. Edward shot him a terrifying look and Remy wisely backed away.

I gasped as I felt another kick, this one stronger than the first. I groaned in annoyance. Edward leaned forward and rubbed my stomach. I laughed bitterly. "Guess that proves that; it's a boy."

"Or, your daughter has inherited your unusual resistance to my charms," Remy disputed.

I patted my stomach lovingly. "I still think it's a boy; my little Vick."

"Vick?" Victor asked.

I blushed and looked down. "What? It's a nice name." I lifted my eyes in time to see Victor grin. "Shut up," I said. "It's not like you have any better ideas."

"Oh, I like the name," Victor reassured me while holding his hands up in a sign of surrender. "I just want to know if you have a backup; you know, just in case Loverboy's right, and your daughter _is _resistant to his, quote-on-quote, _charms._"

"I don't know," I murmured. I looked up at Edward. "Do you remember your grandmother's name?"

Edward seemed startled, and I remembered that he wasn't exactly pleased with the baby. His eyes narrowed and he looked at the ceiling. "Caroline," he finally answered.

"Caroline," I repeated, trying the name out. "Caroline. Carol. Carolyn. Carrie. Carlie. Carlie! I like that. Do you guys like it?" I asked, looking around. Rosalie nodded eagerly. Edward gave me a faint smile. Jacob shrugged. Victor was still exulting over my first choice. The others seemed to like it though. I rubbed my stomach gleefully. "Alright, I guess you're either a Vick or a Carlie. Whatever you are, I'm sure your auntie Alice will have lots of clothes for you to wear."

I heard Alice giggle from upstairs and I smiled in satisfaction. I leaned back. My stomach gave another spasm, one of a more _normal _kind, and I blushed. "Rose?" I asked timidly.

She sighed. "Again?" she asked, helping me to my feet. She smiled at me and, even though I knew she was just being nice to me because of her desire to be a mother, I felt like we were actually becoming friends. "Can you walk?"

"I could use the exercise. Look at me; I'm _huge!_" I gestured to my bulging torso with distaste. "You better hope my healing factor works on stretch marks, or I'm gonna be ticked."

Rosalie and Emmett chuckled. Edward gave me a pained smile, as did almost everyone else. Victor grinned broadly and Remy shuffled a deck of cards that had magically appeared in his hands. I still didn't know where he kept all of them. He smiled at me as I took a waddling step.

Something was wrong.

I felt it before I smelled it. Blood began to leak down my legs and I grabbed my stomach. I felt an agonizing rip go through me. It felt like my intestines, my appendix, hell, _my whole digestive system was rupturing_. I coughed and something warm and metallic-tasting filled my mouth. I choked and sputtered as bright red blood coated Esme's pale grey carpet.

The body inside of me was shuddering, twisting back and forth and I realized what was wrong.

"_HE CAN'T BREATHE!!_" I shrieked, and then I gasped as my lungs deflated. I felt my organs try to heal even as my baby convulsed inside of me.

And then everything went black.

-

Edward's POV

Rosalie caught Bella as she collapsed. The foetus inside of her was still struggling, and, beyond my belief, I _heard _it.

Its thoughts weren't detailed or filled with words like most people, but I understood it. It was panicking, not only for itself, but for Bella.

It loved her.

Rosalie, Carlisle, Victor and I all ran to the stairs. Bella was unconscious, something I relished and felt terrified of at the same time. Her injuries must have been more severe than I could imagine. Bella could take quite a lot of damage.

Rosalie carried Bella into the hospital room. Carlisle and Victor began to prepare the adamantium equipment. Rosalie ripped Bella's clothes off and strapped her thrashing body to the table. Her stomach bulged sickly as the baby fought for air. I took a scalpel off the operating table and began to cut through her stomach and into her uterus. "CPR?" I asked anyone. Bella was still choking weakly, and her heartbeat began to slow.

Victor left Carlisle with the equipment and pressed his lips to Bella's. He plugged her nose and tilted her head back. He breathed for her once, then stopped. "Her lungs are punctured," he said desperately. He locked his hands together and began to pump her heart as it slowed. I could hear her ribs cracking under the pressure, and, even though I knew that that was normal when CPR was done properly, it still made me cringe.

Somewhere off in the distance, I could hear Seth and Leah approaching. They were concerned by the noises and by Jacob's frantic thoughts weren't helping. I realized that Jacob had shifted sometime during the crisis. His thoughts focussed mostly on his fear for Bella and his promise to kill me if she didn't survive. I was glad he was sincere about the last part.

I tore her enlarged uterus apart and a blood-covered figured emerged. I caught a flash of white teeth before Rosalie lifted it into her arms. Her eyes were black, but thirst was the farthest thing from her mind. It didn't even smell like a human. She wrapped the tiny body in a towel and began to scrub its face off.

The panicked voice in my head didn't go away. I looked down and ripped Bella's stomach open farther as she began to heal. Another tiny body emerged, this one gasping and sobbing. I lifted it up and stared at a pair of familiar brown eyes. I looked back and forth between the two, stunned.

"Edward!" Carlisle yelled. "The equipment is ready. Back up."

"Ed…war…my baby." I looked up at Bella's face. Her arm stretched out toward the baby in my arms and she brushed its cheek so tenderly. "So…beauti…ful," she murmured and then she went limp.

"Edward!" Carlisle yelled desperately. I backed away, still holding the baby. I watched, frozen with some nameless emotion. Then I heard Bella's heart stop.

Victor and Carlisle began placing the needles in the correct areas as Victor directed him. Two on each arm; two on each leg; four on her torso. I was grateful Victor seemed to know what he was doing. He pressed a button on the canisters and the metal alloy began to travel through the needles and into Bella's veins. He then began to compress Bella's chest again, pumping the metal through her bloodstream. I heard it sizzle as the metal hit her much cooler blood. As it hit her torso, her gaping stomach wound began to heal faster than I had ever seen. The skin closed and shrunk to her now normal-sized body.

I listened for the tell-tale sign of Bella's beating heart. Downstairs, Jacob changed back into his human form, and I could hear him doing the same through his thoughts. Leah and Seth stood on either side of him, also listening. Remy Lebeau's thoughts were frantic. His shaky hands continued to shuffle the deck of cards faster and faster. He was scared. He wasn't used to seeing people hurt so badly. He especially didn't like seeing _Bella_ hurt.

I watched Bella's still form as she healed. The baby in my arms laid its head against my chest and I sensed it watching as well. Its heart fluttered as fast as a humming bird's. I was amazed that no one in my family had heard it.

Rosalie held the other baby close to her chest. I saw it struggle to look at Bella, and when Rosalie wouldn't allow it, it bit her hand. Rosalie pulled back and the baby turned around to stare at its mother. Worry was clear in its features, and I realized that it was a boy.

"Vick," I whispered.

As if he knew I was calling his name, the baby turned and looked at me with my old, green eyes. He then turned back and stared at Bella, a low whining noise erupting from his throat. I realized with a start that his mind was as silent as Bella and Victor's.

Victor continued to compress Bella's chest.

Jacob growled and began to walk up the stairs to the operating room, Leah and Seth close behind. Seth was prepared to stop Jacob. His sister's thoughts weren't as friendly.

I stared at the blood surrounding Bella's still form and wondered if she could regenerate her blood as quickly as her body. She was so pale.

Carlisle seemed to get the same idea as me as he pulled out a syringe and a pint of blood. He began to manually inject the blood into a vein in her neck. Victor continued CPR, desperation written on his face.

Jacob's thoughts turned murderous as he laid eyes on Bella. Leah and Seth gasped as they entered, and Seth turned away as his gaze landed on Bella's naked form.

Jacob turned to me and I sensed he intended to kill not only me, but the baby in my arms. I narrowed my eyes and pulled it closer to me, intent on protecting the child with Bella's eyes.

The movement directed Jacob's attention to it, and his expression changed.

My mouth dropped open in amazement as I saw the baby through Jacob's eyes.

It was a girl, and Jacob had just imprinted on her.

Son of a bitch.

-

Victor's POV

I was only vaguely aware of the others in the room. My attention was focused solely on Bella. I breathed into her healed lungs and watched as her chest deflated as I pulled away. I began to compress her chest again, sparing a glance at the two babies.

"Come on, baby girl, you can't let your kids grow up without a mommy. Your boy doesn't seem to like the blond bitch very much. Come _on!_" I felt a flutter under my hands and paused.

_Yes!_

Bella's heart stuttered a few more times before it began to thud steadily. I breathed a sigh of relief and leaned over the hospital bed. Bella was still out, but I was sure she was just exhausted. I brushed her hair back and covered her in a blanket before looking over at the others.

Seth was making a point of not looking at Bella. I noticed a faint blush on his dark cheeks and wondered if my lovely granddaughter had gained yet _another _admirer. I still hadn't dealt with _Mr Charming _downstairs.

The thing that really got my attention was Leah's face.

At least, I assumed it was Leah. I hadn't really seen her when she wasn't in her wolf-form. But she smelled like a wolf, and she was the only female one I had ever heard of, so it was kind of obvious.

She looked…happy.

I tried to figure out what she was looking at, but the only thing I saw was Rosalie. Not that she wasn't a ray of sunshine and all, but Leah didn't seem like the type to smile at a vampire.

I looked down at the squirming bundle in Rosalie's arms, and I figured it out.

"Oh, you have _got _to be kidding me."

I looked over at Edward, wondering how he would take this; if he had even noticed yet with all the crap going on. Bella's husband looked livid, but he wasn't glaring at Leah. Jake was the unfortunate receiver of Edward's wrath.

"You _didn't_," Edward growled. I realized that the bloody mess in Edward's arms was the other baby, only this one was a girl. She turned and stared at me, locking her brown eyes onto mine. She waved at me and gestured toward Bella's unconscious figure. She pressed her hand against Edward's throat. "She's fine," he said, as if to reassure her.

Was the baby thinking? Was she worried about her mother? How much did these kids understand?

"Ow!" Rosalie cried out. She held out Bella's other baby and shook out her hand. "He bit me!"

"I like him already," I said. I reached out and pulled the straddled infant into my arms. He felt really hot, like he had a fever. He blinked up at me. "Hi, kiddo. I'm your great-grandfather. Put some emphasis on the _great_ part," I ranted.

I heard Leah approach me slowly. "Can I-" she cut herself off and held out her hands. "Can I hold him?"

By now, the others were heading for the stairs, except for Lebeau, who didn't seem too keen on witnessing another bloodbath. Smart guy.

I looked over at Edward. He still had his daughter - Carlie - clutched close to his chest. I tilted my head at Leah's timid form, wondering what I should do. My great-grandson - Vick - lifted his head and waved at her. He grinned, showing two rows of white teeth. That was kind of freaky.

Esme walked in and stood next to Carlisle. She touched Bella's face, checking to see if she was still breathing, I assumed. Emmett went to stand beside Rosalie. His eyes darted back and forth between Vick and Carlie. He opened his mouth to say something, only to have Rosalie elbow him in the gut. That girl was just so abusive.

Jasper walked in next. Alice followed him, her eyes narrowed in concentration. I wondered if she had seen anything that had gone on, or if the babies had screwed with her visions. She rushed to Bella's side and placed her ear over Bella's heart. She breathed a sigh of relief. Jasper went to stand behind her.

Seth slid closer to me, staring at Vick with open curiosity. Vick held up a hand and waved at him. Seth grinned and held out his hand. Vick reached out and captured his finger. "Hello there," Seth said.

Jacob backed away from Edward. "I have to go tell the others. They can't hurt them now. It's against our laws to kill an imprint." With that, he rushed down the stairs, Leah and Seth right on his tail.

I shifted Vick so that he was facing his sister. Carlie held her hand to Edward's face. He sighed and I watched the tension leak out of him. "Yes, they'll be back. Everything will be okay." He looked over at Bella, and I wondered how sure he was of that statement.

-

I know I'm taking quite a big risk with creating my own characters. They're going to be like Renesmee in that they won't play too much of a part, aside from being a problem. And, come on, you know you wanted a baby boy with Edward's pretty green eyes to be born when you read Breaking Dawn. I know I did. Plus, I really wanted to do something for Leah. That girl was just so broken.

I'll catch you all later.


	25. Chapter 25

Wolverine

I better get started on this chapter before I get lazy again. I'm glad that most of you didn't mind the twins. I figured since Renesmee was never much of a character anyway, it wouldn't be such a big deal. And I'm glad a lot of you felt happy for Leah. She always seemed like such a sad person. I wanted to give her _something_ even if it is just an imaginary half-vampire baby.

- Bella _could _get pregnant again, but I wrote that she only gets her (youknowwhat) every three years or so. It should be pretty easy for them to avoid those days, or at the very least use birth control. Hell, it's not like I'm going to be writing about them twenty years in the future or anything. I'll leave that for the people who don't need the books as a guideline.

SnowCharms - I hope you like her reaction. I've gone through a bunch of scenarios and the one in this chapter struck me as the funniest. I hope you think so too.

Rubberduck697 (You know, I'm just going to call you Ducky from now on) - Like I said to , I'm not writing anything about them growing up. Frankly, a mutant/vampire mating with a shape-shifter scares me. It's like _Dracula Meets The Wolfman _or something.

My mom's still feeling kind of rotten. I've had to help her clean up a little more lately, so I haven't had as much time to write.

I've posted a speech I'm doing for my writer's craft class today in my ending author's note. Comment on it if you want.

_-_

"_It's one o'clock, bub -- time to get yer face ripped off!"_

_-_

Bella's POV

Waking up wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The Cullens had been insightful enough to keep the light off in the operating room, so I didn't wake up with burning corneas. For a second, I listened to the sound of my own heartbeat, determining that I was indeed alive.

Then I shot up into a sitting position.

"My baby!" I said hoarsely, wrapping my hands around my flat stomach.

Edward was there almost before I finished my sentence. He touched my face with one hand and held my hand with the other. "Everything's alright. They're okay," he soothed. He was looking at me like her expected me to disappear at any moment.

I registered the words _alright _and _okay _before I realized something else. "They?" I questioned, a knot forming in my stomach.

I stared in stunned fascination as Edward smiled. "Twins; one boy. and one girl. They're perfect."

"Jeez, Edward, don't give them an ego complex!" Emmett shouted from downstairs. I heard the familiar sound of him being hit by Rosalie and laughed.

"So I was half-right about it being a boy." I stood up. I looked down, noticing that someone had dressed me while I was out. I had on a dark blue blouse and a pair of designer jeans. I frowned at those, thinking of the money they had wasted, but then shrugged. It was one of the perks of being a Cullen.

"Here," Edward said, holding out a glass with amber liquid in it. "Victor said you would want this."

I took the drink, sniffing it. "Whiskey. The man knows me." I took a huge gulp and sighed. "I missed that."

Edward smiled at me, but there was something a little off about it.

"What's wrong?" I asked, suspicious.

"Nothing's _wrong _exactly, but we should probably go downstairs." I didn't trust him on the whole _wrong _thing, but I followed him as he led me into the living room.

Remy, Emmett and Jasper were currently engaged in a game of cards. Judging from the amount of poker chips Remy had, he was winning. Emmett looked frustrated and Jasper seemed to be gauging Remy's mood. I knew it was useless. Win or lose, Remy was always calm.

Alice sat on the couch, reading a fashion magazine. Every few minutes, she would look up and mouth the names of Remy's cards to Jasper. It didn't seem to be helping much.

Rosalie, Esme and Carlisle were hovering by the window. I looked outside and saw the most beautiful sight in the world.

Victor, Jacob, Leah, and Seth were outside. Leah was in a new pair of jeans and a tank top. Jacob was wearing brown sweatpants and a wife beater. Seth was dressed similarly to Jacob, only his pants were black. Victor wore a blue plaid shirt and black cargo pants.

I took this all in absently, for my attention was on the two little angels they surrounded.

I walked to the window slowly. Victor looked up and grinned. He picked up my little boy - Vick - and headed inside. Jacob picked up my little girl - Carlie and followed after him. Once inside, Jacob handed Carlie to Edward. I stood there, staring at them.

It was immediately clear that Carlie took after me the most. Rather than detracting from her vampiric beauty, it seemed to make her more lovely…more mine. Her hair was Edward's though. The bronze shade looked lovely as it curled against her flushed cheeks. Her big brown eyes sought out mine and she smiled at me. Her face was heart-shaped, her lips out of balance like mine. She had Edward's nose and her chin wasn't as sharp as mine, but the resemblance was obvious. Alice had dressed her in a pretty yellow sundress with pink flowers. She wore tiny, white socks and black dress shoes.

I took my eyes away from her unwillingly, drawn to the boy who sat peacefully in Victor's arms. The most startling thing about him was his eyes.

I had never imagined that a human eye colour could be so beautiful.

His hair was mine, right down to the colour and the widow's peak. It crept around his ears and down his neck, almost like a surfer hairstyle. I wondered if anyone had bothered to cut it since he was born. I resolved to do so as soon as I could. His face was shaped like Edward's; high cheekbones, and a strong jaw. Alice had found him a blue lounge suit, and the colour made his skin glow.

As I stared, he smiled a crooked Edward-smile and waved.

There was one thing that bothered me. I had given birth just hours ago. I was sure of it.

So why were my babies the size of two-month-olds?

I gapped at them, open-mouthed. "How did they get so big?" I asked.

Edward brushed his hand against my cheek. "Their growth seems to be almost as accelerated as when they were still foetuses. It's slowing down, though," he said in a hard voice, as if daring someone to argue with him.

I felt a flash of fear, and started mentally calculating. I didn't like the answer, so I shoved it aside, determined, like Edward, to ignore their fast growth.

I was so caught up in the twins that I failed to notice the differences in Jacob and Leah. I stared at them, trying to pinpoint the reason for the change. Lately, Jacob always seemed just on the verge of snapping. His eyes were usually so sad.

But not anymore. Jacob was looking at Carlie like she was the most enchanting thing in the world. I saw Leah giving Vick a similar look. I didn't know Leah very well, but I knew that if Edward had broken up with me for another woman, I wouldn't look so…content.

I began to feel cold inside as I remembered Edward's earlier statement about things not being _wrong_. I wondered how much of that wrongness was about my babies' premature aging, and how much had to do with the fact that they had been imprinted on by my magic-wielding, shape-shifting, werewolf-like neighbours.

The sound of breaking glass made the others jump as I crushed the glass of whiskey in my hand. Little fragments of it dug into my palm and fingers like knives. I smelled blood, but ignored it as I opened my hand and let the broken glass fall to the floor. The pieces imbedded in my hand quickly followed, my skin healing up almost instantly. I was aware of a low growling sound in the room, and recognized it as my own voice.

"You didn't," I accused, stalking forward, trying to choose which one to kill first.

Jacob stepped in front of Leah and held up his hands. "Look, Bella, I know you're upset-"

"Brilliant deduction, moron!" I spat. "How could you even _think _about…?" I was too furious and disgusted to even say the words.

"It's not like that!" Jacob said, still on the defence. Emmett was watching me with amusement, while the others looked worried. Even the babies seemed to be getting upset.

I took a deep breath and made myself relax. "Victor, I want another glass of whiskey, and a cigar."

"I thought you quit," Victor said. I looked up at him real slowly, daring him to say anything else. He took an involuntary step back. Jasper stood up and took Vick. The baby accepted the change of position with some annoyance. Wonderful. Victor had already corrupted him.

My grandfather darted into the wine cellar without another word and came back up with a glass and my drink. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his box of cigars.

I took the things and sat down on the couch next to Alice. I set the bottle and the glass on the coffee table. I then opened the box of cigars and took one out, setting it between my teeth and lighting it. I inhaled and held the cigar in my hand as it burned. "Now, can you please explain this to me?"

Jacob seemed to find my tranquility even more disturbing than my anger. He seemed unable to think of anything to say.

"It's an involuntary reaction," Leah said, when it was clear that Jacob was lost. "It's not a choice. Believe me, Bella, the last person I thought I would imprint on was a half-vampire, and not just for the obvious reasons. But look, it's not like we're _romantically _attracted to them. We love them, but it's not that kind of love."

"Not yet, you mean," I said calmly, pouring myself a drink and taking a sip.

Leah looked distinctly uncomfortable. I wondered how she was handling being around my vampire family. The smell alone was probably driving her crazy.

"That's the idea," she admitted. "But if something changes…if they end up wanting someone else…then we'll be whatever they want us to be. Friends. Pseudo-siblings. It doesn't matter, as long as they're happy."

I stared at my drink, swirling the amber liquid around until it made a small whirlpool. "That's a very good answer," I said finally. I stood up slowly and set my drink down. I walked over to them, clutching my lit cigar. I took one last drag.

And flicked it into Jacob's eye.

He jerked back with a gasp and covered his eye with his hand. I took a fist full of his hair, jerked his head down, and leaned over to whisper to him.

"Alright, Jake, you and I have gotten to be really good friends, but I swear by all that is holy if you do _anything _to upset _my baby_, I'll kill you." I emphasized this by letting my claws out.

At least, I thought they were my claws.

"Cool. Shiny," Victor said. I ignored his comment, and the gasps from the Cullens, and Remy's shocked curse word.

I released Jacob and held up my right hand to get a better look. Jake straightened up and backed away. I saw Leah barely restraining a smile, but at the same time trying to look outraged at me. She didn't do a very good job.

I stared at my hands in shock. My claws were silver, metallic. I flexed my left hand and let my other set out. They matched.

I _hmmed_ under my breathe, still checking out my new additions. "This is an interesting development."

"You're telling me," Victor said. He stepped forward and touched one of the shining…_knives. _I couldn't think of any other way to describe them.

"Ow!" Victor pulled back and held up his hand. His index finger was nearly severed at the top. I watched as it healed. Compared to me now, it seemed like an endless task.

"That was stupid," I commented.

"Don't give me lip. They're a helluva lot sharper than they look. I wasn't even putting any pressure on them." Victor held up his wounded finger for everyone to see.

I let my claws sink back into my arms and watched as my knuckles healed over. Had I really considered my old healing abilities to be fast? Maybe compared to Victor, but now…

An unfamiliar, high-pitched sound made me look over towards Jasper.

For such a big and scary guy, he didn't seem to know how to handle Vick.

I watched open-mouthed as my infant son squirmed out of his uncle's arms. Edward reached over with ease and caught him with one arm. He sighed heavily, as if he were performing a very dull or repetitive task. He lifted Vick up to his chest and he seemed to calm down when he saw his sister. Carlie reached over and touched his cheek. My confusion and suspicions peaked as Vick grinned unexpectedly.

I looked at Edward, waiting for an explanation.

Carlisle stepped forward and put his hands on my shoulders. "Perhaps you should sit down."

"Oh, Carlisle, she'll be fine," Alice said, sounding quite determined for someone who's precognition was rendered useless by three shape-shifters and two half-vampires.

I crossed my arms and, for good measure, tapped my foot impatiently.

He gave me a sheepish grin. "Would you mind letting Carlie touch you? It will explain some things."

I raised my eyebrow at Edward, but complied. Carlie and Vick sat up eagerly and smiled at me. I found myself smiling back, enraptured by the conglomeration of mine and Edward's faces. Carlie reached out to touch my face, and I found myself back in the operating room.

I watched, fascinated as I witnessed the delivery of the twins, and my miraculous revival with the help of the adamantium. I saw my reaction to the news of Jacob and Leah's imprinting, and realized that I had upset Carlie by hurting Jacob. I made a mental note to keep any confrontations out of earshot.

Finally, the images stopped and I pulled away. "That was freaking awesome! What was that?"

Edward smiled. "Carlie seems to have inherited my telepathy, only she's flipped it around so that she can send thoughts into other's minds instead of reading thoughts like I can."

Carlie smiled at me and reached her arms out in a clear _up _signal. I did as she requested, adjusting her on my right hip as Vick began to squirm. Carlie held on as I lifted Vick onto my other hip.

"What about Vick?" I asked when I was sure the twins were comfortable. Their hearts pounded rapidly and their cheeks stayed permanently flushed. "Can he do anything?"

"You mean _besides _bite everyone who ticks him off and get away with it?" Rosalie asked bitterly.

I looked down at him with an expression that I hoped seemed at least mildly scolding. "Vick, did you bite your auntie?"

Vick grinned unrepentantly and nodded. I tried to resist, but I ended up smiling back. "Lord, this kid could get away with murder."

"Don't exaggerate, Bella, he's a great kid. He only bites people who are thinking bad things," Victor explained. He indicated toward Rosalie with a grin.

Understanding dawned. "_He _has telepathy too?" I looked down at my boy with awe.

"As far as we can tell," Edward admitted. "I can't read his mind, so we can't be sure."

"You're kidding me, right?"

Edward shook his head slowly. "I'm starting to think it's something more than just a family trait," he said thoughtfully.

I blinked at him, still trying to take everything in. Maybe I should have gone easier on the whiskey.

Or maybe I just needed another glass.

Carlie suddenly made a whining noise and I automatically adjusted her position so that she was closer to my face. "What's wrong, honey?"

Carlie reached up and touched my face. I saw a vision of a steel cup filled with familiar, bright red liquid.

Edward shook his head and sighed. "She's hungry again."

Victor walked into the kitchen as if that was his cue. "What does she think about O Negative? Or is it time to _B Positive?_"he called out playfully.

Edward rolled his eyes at my grandfather's antics, but didn't answer him. Emmett guffawed loudly and Jasper stopped breathing.

Victor walked back into the room with two large steel cups filled to the brim with blood. The twins immediately perked up at the sight.

"They prefer human blood, but we'll try to teach them to hunt animals when they're older. We've been trying to convince them to try some human food but…" Edward shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

I looked down at my babies and laughed. "Not a fan of your vegetables?" I quipped.

Carlie shook her head and touched my face again, showing me a vision of Carlisle trying to feed her baby formula. The smell of it made me wrinkle my nose.

"Ug, can't blame you for that, kiddo." I took them and sat down on the couch.

Victor sat next to me. "Which one do you want to feed? Trust me, do it at the same time, otherwise they get seriously ticked off."

I handed Carlie over to him. Edward wandered over, not as affected by the smell of blood as his siblings. "They're very interesting, aren't they?" he asked, leaning over next to me.

"Interesting hardly covers it," I replied. "What else can they do?"

"They have rapid heartbeats, as I'm sure you can tell. Their skin is probably as hard as a regular vampire's, but it's not like we're going to take any chances on that." He brushed back a lock of Vick's hair lovingly. "They seem very advanced for their age, and not just in size. They're very intelligent."

"They got their brains from me," I quipped.

"As well as their tendency for abuse. Carlie keeps biting Jacob whenever he doesn't feed her quickly enough. She's not venomous, but Vick is."

I looked at Vick, fascinated by this strange development.

But inside, I was still worrying. Even as I sat with them, I could almost see the time sifting away, measuring how many days my children would live.

-

This seems like a good enough place to end. I've got to get to school soon, so I have to hurry.

Here's my speech. I had to make up a character that is opposite to me and present something about them. I hope you enjoy it.

Bizarro-You Speech

Look, before I start, I just want to let everyone know that even though I've suffered multiple severe head trauma over the years, that doesn't mean I'm dain bramaged. (Look confused for a few seconds) I'm fompletely cine. (Pause) Otally tokay. (Blink several times and shake head) Alright, moving on.

My name is George Dean. I am an addict. Now, I'm not addicted to alcohol or nicotine or caffeine. I _do _take a lot of pain meds, but I've got it under control. (Take out pill bottle and pretend to take one) What I'm addicted to is a completely natural hormone called _adrenaline._

Yes, I am an adrenaline junkie.

I was the kid who climbed the tallest trees and jumped off the high dive at the pool when I was still in diapers. My father is the only man in the world who threw out his back out by yelling too loudly when I was climbing out onto the roof and sliding down the clothesline when I was seven. My mother has a standing prescription for anti-anxiety medication. It's really helped her deal with her panic attacks when I drive us through a busy highway at 200 km/h while blindfolded.

But, like any addiction, it has its downfalls. The problem is that most people are so scared of getting hurt that they think that anyone who enjoys jumping down an elevator shaft is out of their mind and needs to be locked up and forced to take highly addictive medication so that the pharmaceutical companies can keep buying out the government with everybody's drug-money. (Shake head) Sorry, paranoia is a side-effect of these babies. (Pretend to take another pill)

Now, to combat this over-safe world, my fellow junkies and I have made a list of dangerous things to do to get that rush you've been looking for.

Number one: skydiving. Nothing screams danger more than free-falling out of a plane, passing through the clouds and watching the ground come up to meet you. Just remember, when the timer for the parachute goes off, deploy the chute. It's only cool if you come close to death. Dying kind of ruins it for the guys still on the plane. And when people hit the ground at 80 km/h, they splatter.

For a cheaper option, jumping off a low cliff or a bridge with a body of water beneath it is a good substitute. Just check for jagged rocks, and try not to land so that water shoots up your butt…cause it'll explode your intestines and you'll die a really painful and embarrassing death. Trust me, I knew a guy. No one could keep a straight face at his funeral. (Start to crack up and clear throat) Anyway…

Number two: buildering. That's a cool name we junkies made up to describe climbing up a building with no ropes or safety nets of any kind. It's so much fun it should be illegal…okay, it's totally illegal, but running from the cops is pretty fun too, especially when you're still jacked up from a healthy dose of epinephrine.

If you've got the money, you can replace this with rock-climbing, but personally, I enjoy the peepshows taking place on the 26th floor. I won't go into details, but let's just say that (My teacher's name) is a very lucky man.

Number three: craning. This is a lot like buildering in that it's illegal, and it involves climbing. The only difference is that you're climbing up construction equipment instead of skyscrapers or apartments. It's wise to invest in a pair of climbing shoes. (Indicate to neck brace) And put some money in the bank. The fines for climbing on something that doesn't belong to you are insane.

Number four: car-surfing. Cars are magical things. They pretty much scream _danger,_ which is junkie-code for _fun_. But let's face it, sometimes driving fast isn't enough. Sometimes, you really want to start break dancing on the roof of a moving vehicle. Junkies are very creative when we have to be.

Number five: playing with dangerous animals. Humans are gifted with fight-or-flight responses that send adrenaline surging into our veins when confronted with a dangerous animal. Bears are a good example of this. Lions are even scarier. Just make sure you have a gun or tazer on you when you start taunting Yogi. If you have any animal phobias, confronting said animal can give you one of the best rushes of your life.

Number six: ghost hunting.

For this to work, you don't have to believe in ghosts. Going into an old, dark house in the middle of the night is pretty freaky in and of itself. There's a reason the characters who star in horror movies always seem to be out of breath. Even though they know it's all fake, their hearts are pounding with adrenaline. Dark, creepy places with back stories about the living undead are basically a junkies' paradise. Just don't blame me if you get scared to death.

Number seven: sex.

I know what you're thinking; sex is awesome! It isn't as risky as climbing a building or a crane, or jumping off a cliff. It's not like anyone _dies _while having sex.

If you're thinking something along those lines, you're wrong.

You know that show, _1000 ways to die?_ In one episode, I saw three different ways a guy died while trying to get his rocks off. One guy died after his extra-large one-night-stand collapsed on top of him and smothered him.

Next, this really old guy, oxygen tank and everything, hired a hooker. This girl plugged in some Christmas lights and started dancing around. Problem was, there wasn't enough electricity to sustain the lights and the oxygen tank. Talk about coming and going.

The last part of the episode had a guy whose wife felt that their sex life needed a little help, so she dropped a few Viagra into his drink. Unfortunately, his secretary texted him about an important _meeting_ a that moment_._ He took a few of his own fun-pills and headed on over. And just when you think it couldn't get any worse, his secretary dosed him some _more_, and by the time they finished with their meeting, Mr Cheater, Cheater Pumpkin Eater was ready to go into cardiac arrest.

See, you _can _have too much of a good thing. Overdosing on Viagra is almost as embarrassing as trying to seduce a grizzly while high on magic mushrooms. Mama bears aren't exactly known for putting out to burnouts, but they _will _be kind enough to leave most of your remains alone…after they've finished eating you.

Still think sex is awesome?

Now that I've officially traumatized everyone in this room, I'm gonna go find a room with a window I can jump out of. I'll catch you later.

-

Okay, that's about it. I'll update as soon as I can.

See you later.


	26. Chapter 26

Wolverine

You may thank my grandmother for this chapter. I've been an awful updater these past few months and it took an Easter present of the DVD for _New Moon _to get me out of my rut.

I'm back in the hospital with my mom. She's got a bladder infection this time. Oh, and we found out that she doesn't have any issues with her gallbladder; it's just something to do with her digestive system. If it _does _turn out to be her gallbladder, I'm going to beat the diagnostician over the head with my laptop.

On second thought, that would slow down my updates even more. Maybe I'll just sue them.

I'm glad you enjoyed my speech. My class thought it was pretty hilarious. The teacher videotaped some of it. I adlibbed a small part and nearly made my teacher choke. (If girls spent more time on their knees than on their backs we'd have fewer unwed, teen mothers…and dead guys).

I swear I really need to finish this. It's just making me crazy. I've been going over the plots for the other stories I want to write, and I just want to get this over with. Plus I also have to write a novel for my Writer's Craft class, so I've been writing for an hour a night. I just started it about two weeks ago, and I already have eighteen pages done.

I've decided to just skip over the whole introducing-the-babies-to-Charlie-and-making-nice-with-everything. I'll help me finish faster _and_ keep you guys from having to basically reread _Breaking Dawn._

-

"_We ain't winnin' this shootin' match by tip-toein' through the tulips, darlin'."_

-

Bella's POV

Sunday, December 12th, 2010

When I think about it, I probably should have realized that my life was going too well, and that I was about to be hit with a big dose of karma.

At the time, the only thing I was concerned about was getting the twins to at least tolerate animal blood. Jacob and Leah were a big help in that department, along with Seth, of whom Vick adored.

I'd gone hunting for animals more than a few times when I was younger. It was messy, and I always felt bad about it afterward. That's why hunting societies always had cleansing rituals. People get too civilized and they forget that they need stuff like that.

But that wasn't important to me at the time. The important thing was that my children were going deer hunting without a rifle and that I could smell a vampire nearby.

I left my shape-shifting friends to watch my children as I went to investigate. It didn't take long to locate the vampire that was watching us.

I wouldn't have known who she was if it weren't for her golden eyes. It could only be Irina, the third sister of the Denali Coven in Alaska.

She wasn't as pretty as Tanya, but her silvery blond hair was still lovelier than any normal, human shade. I wondered what she was doing there. She had made it pretty clear that she wanted nothing to do with the Cullens after Laurent was murdered by the La Push wolves, and they wouldn't help her avenge her lover's death.

I might have been more sympathetic…if I wasn't friends with some of those wolves…or if Laurent wasn't attacked because he was trying to kill me.

Of course, I was pretty sure that Carlisle would want me to play nice with her. It was hurting her sisters, having her absent and broken-hearted, so I started to wave…

And the bitch growled at me.

I was taken aback. I knew I wasn't the most pleasant person to be around. I even knew that Irina's hostility was somewhat logical…from a twisted, lovesick point of view. I knew she probably wouldn't get along with me, but I didn't think that I would be on the receiving end of such overt dislike. Obviously, she was unhappy about Jacob and Leah.

Before I could retaliate, she took off into the forest. I held back, wondering if it would be a good idea to chase her. Finally, I decided to just get back to hunting.

I found Carlie and Jacob fighting over who had the largest kill. Leah and Vick were to the side, Vick with a strange expression on his face. The twins could talk, but Carlie preferred to use her own methods via telepathy, and Vick was just the strong silent type.

"What's wrong, honey?" I asked, leaning over Vick.

He shrugged and crossed his arms.

I looked at Leah. "Did he eat?" I asked her, raising an eyebrow.

"He got distracted; said he heard something. I think he's just stalling because he doesn't like deer," she said while playfully rubbing his head.

"I prefer mountain lions," he said.

"Me too!" Carlie called, joining us with Jacob behind her. "Let's go get some!"

I smiled. "I suppose we can look for some, but you might have to share."

Carlie gave me a big smile, but Vick still seemed distracted. I hoped that his favourite meal would cheer him up as we searched through the dense forest.

It took a little over half an hour, but we finally located one. Carlie crouched down immediately, her toddler-sized body looking small and defenceless, yet agile. It was almost intimidating.

Carlie dove at the giant feline with Vick on her heels. The lion scratched at them helplessly before slowly succumbing to Vick's venom and its own blood loss.

Jacob and Leah didn't react to the massacre as much as I thought they would, but they were so tied to their imprints, it was probably impossible for them to feel anything but love.

"All done?" I called as the mountain lion finally stopped twitching. At least they knew to kill it quick.

Carlie wiped her mouth on her dress, which was now in tatters. Alice would be so unhappy.

"All done!" Carlie repeated. She pranced over to me and jumped into my arms, hugging me.

Vick, usually not one to be ignored, seemed oblivious to Carlie's hogging of me. He stared off in the direction where Irina had vanished, and I wondered for a second if he had heard what she was thinking when she saw me.

"Let's go home," I said, and Vick followed along silently as we raced home. He was quick, like Edward, and like me, although I was pretty sure that they had inherited none of my own quirks. It had skipped a generation with mom, so in all likelihood, they would never have to experience the pain I had felt growing up.

I winced. My babies were the size of toddlers, shooting up everyday. Carlisle and Edward were always researching, trying to figure out if there were any studies on how long they would survive, or at least how to extend their lifespan.

Jacob had suggested, with barely-concealed desperation, that Edward could try biting them. Carlisle had immediately disagreed, citing to similarities between the twins and the werewolves. It was very possible that the venom could kill them.

As far as we knew, there was nothing we could do.

We arrived home and were immediately greeted by Alice.

"_Look _at what you've done to your _dress!_" she shrieked as she caught sight of Carlie. She lifted her out of my arms and set her down on the couch next to Victor. "You wait right here while I get you something to wear." With that, she flicked up the stairs.

"I will never get used to dat."

I looked over in surprise and spotted Remy Lebeau sitting at the poker table in the corner.

"When did you get here?" I asked, rushing over to give him a punch in the arm. I didn't have to restrain myself as much with him, since his bones were almost as strong as mine. Remy had taken off a few days after the twins were born, citing his need to pay off a few people in Vegas before they decided to come after him. I made him swear not to tell anyone about the Cullens, or the babies. He'd told me that he would never do anything to endanger my life, and after telling him about the Volturi, he felt no pressure to disclose to the world that vampires existed.

"A few moments ago," he said, answering my question with a signature smirk. "I wanted to see if you would allow me to _hide out_ until some trouble blows over," he admitted sheepishly.

I tried to give him a stern glare, but failed miserably. "Sure sure, you can hang out if it's alright with the others."

"Damn straight, it is!" Emmett called, rushing inside with Rosalie behind him. From the lipstick on Emmett's collar, I could only assume they had been enjoying each other's company while the babies were out.

Remy and Emmett locked fists and grinned. "Thank you, old friend. I don't have anywhere else to go."

"You're always welcome here, Lebeau," my grandfather said. "You make me look good in the mooching department." He laughed dryly and ruffled Carlie's hair. She endured the tangles like a martyr.

Esme walked in with a plate full of sandwiches. "It's almost dinnertime, but these should hold you over, Remy." She set the plate down in front of him.

"You do too much, Mrs Cullen," Remy insisted before he began to stuff his face.

I was feeling kind of hungry myself, but I didn't want to risk losing a finger while trying to snatch a sandwich.

"Why, Vicky, what's wrong?" Esme's sweet voice broke through my thoughts and I looked over.

Vick had gone pale. His eyes were wide, and he seemed to be looking at nothing. I heard a gasp from upstairs and immediately identified it as Edward. In half a second, he was downstairs, Carlisle by his side.

"What's going on?" Carlisle asked.

I heard something shatter from upstairs.

"_Alice!_"

We all recognized Jasper's frightened voice. In less time than it took for me to take a breath, the entire household, minus a very confused Remy, was upstairs, surrounding a frozen Alice. Edward held Vick; the boy was limp. His beautiful eyes were still fixed on nothing. Victor had Carlie in his arms, and my youngest stared at her brother with fearful eyes.

"Alice! What's going on?" Jasper pleaded, shaking his wife slightly.

Alice's eyes cleared for a second and Edward's expression shifted to fear. "They're coming," they both said, their voices oddly harmonious, yet dead. "All of them."

Remy rushed in behind us, pausing as he noticed Alice and Edward's haunted faces. "What's the matter?" he asked. "Who's coming?"

For once, I understood the quickest.

A distant memory tugged at my mind and I saw an advancing line of red-eyed demons. A baby who looked like a mix between Vick and Carlie stood behind me as the Volturi approached.

"The Volturi," I breathed.

Carlisle's eyebrows shot up. "What? Why would the Volturi be coming here? Edward? Alice?" he asked, looking desperately at his children, praying that they would snap out of their trance and explain that I was wrong.

But I wasn't.

Edward hugged Vick closer to his chest. "All of them are coming, even the wives," he told us.

The Cullens reacted to this more strongly than I did. I didn't know the connotations at the time, but apparently, the Volturi usually only sent out a few of their guard at a time.

Edward snapped out of it first.

"It must be because there are so many of us," he explained dreamily. "They probably want to make sure they can kill us all."

Carlie clutched her grandfather's shirt in her tiny hands. Her dress was still bloody and torn, but her attire was the least of our concerns.

"That doesn't explain why!" Jasper seethed. "Why are they coming for us? Is it because of Bella?" he asked. For a second, his eyes snapped to me, and they were filled with hate.

Edward placed himself between us, although he needn't have bothered. One word from Alice was enough to stop him.

She reached out and touched his shoulder. "No, they're not coming for Bella," she said dully.

"Then what, Alice?" he implored her. "What happened? What triggered it?"

"I was just looking for Irina," Alice said listlessly. "I thought I saw her coming here, but the wolves and the twins make it so hard for me to see. I don't know why, but she went to the Volturi and they're going to come for us all."

"What's an immortal child?" Vick asked.

I looked at him, relieved that the frightened expression was gone from his beautiful face, but now a new fear was taking over. "Where did you hear that?"

"The lady in the forest," he answered. "She thought that Carlie and I were immortal children. She was very angry for some reason when she thought this. Why was she angry?" he asked innocently.

We gazed at the twins, horror-struck. I wanted to smack myself for not realizing what Irina had seen. I thought she had been angry about the wolves, but I hadn't considered the obvious. What other explanation could Irina have conjured up after witnessing my obviously-not-human children?

Jacob turned to me. "Bella?" he asked. "Was that why you took off, to find her?"

I nodded slowly. "I didn't think…I mean…I wasn't even thinking about the babies. I thought she was angry about Jacob and Leah. I never considered what they looked like to her." I wanted to reach out and pull the twins to me where I could protect them, but my arms felt like lead.

Vick was getting back to his old self, which meant he was getting testy. "But what are they?" he insisted. Then his eyes turned to Carlisle and his mouth dropped open. "Oh."

For a moment, no one seemed to know what to do. We all stood in Alice's room, staring at each other.

Finally, Emmett broke the silence. "What are we gonna do?"

"There's nothing we _can_ do!" Rosalie yelled at him. If she were human, she might have been crying. She grabbed onto Emmett's arm and pressed against him. "They're going to slaughter us all! Damn you, Irina!"

I finally got the energy to move my arms and grabbed Vick and Carlie. "Can't we do something? Can't we fight them?" I begged.

"We'll all be killed anyway. There's too many of them," Edward explained. He touched Vick and Carlie's heads, stroking their hair. "This isn't something they hold a trial for, love. Aro will see Irina's proof through her thoughts."

I remembered Edward telling me about Aro, how he was greedy and powerful, and how with one touch, he could see every thought you'd ever had.

"I do not understand," Remy stated. "What's a Volturi? What's an immortal child? And why will you all be killed because of it?"

Victor clapped Remy on the shoulder. "I'll explain in a little while," he said. Then he paused and looked at Alice. "Do we _have_ a little while?"

She nodded. "I see snow. It won't snow until January. We have time." Suddenly, her eyes narrowed. "But not much. We have to prepare." She clutched Jasper's hand tightly. "We need help." Her face scrunched up.

"What do you mean, _help?_" Carlisle asked.

"The wolves will help," Jacob insisted. "Our numbers have grown. We can take on these _Volturi_," he said with a smirk.

"That won't be enough," Alice said. She sounded frustrated. "Carlisle, call your old friends. Call anyone. We need more people. We need witnesses. If we can explain it to Aro, he'll have no reason to…" Her voice drifted off, and her eyes narrowed.

Edward and Vick looked at her with their penetrating eyes. "What was that, Alice?" Edward asked.

"_I can't see!_" she yelled. "Call Eleazar; there's more to this than just the children." She looked at the twins and the wolves. "I can't see," she repeated. "I'm going out to the forest where my visions won't be compromised." She tugged Jasper behind her as she ran outside.

For the next hour or so, the Cullen house was in chaos. Vampires weren't exactly listed in the phonebook, so it was deemed that Edward and I would stay with the twins while the rest of the family left to find anyone who would listen.

Victor and Remy were staying as well, even though I begged Remy to take off. No human threat of unpaid debts was worth risking the wrath of the Volturi.

Remy was adamant, though. He was staying just in case I needed him to do a card trick.

Of course, Remy's card tricks usually involved explosions, so I wasn't exactly sure about that.

It was dark by the time I realized that Alice and Jasper weren't back yet. I peered out into the forest, hoping to catch a glimpse of them, but I only saw the regular forest-dwellers.

Vick and Carlie were sound asleep on the couch. They were wrapped up in each other's arms. I wanted to pick them up and hold them to my chest, but I was afraid to disturb them. Instead, I collapsed on the other couch and went to sleep.

-

Waking up was a frightening experience. I didn't usually dream about the wars, but I guessed that the stress was getting to me.

I stared guiltily at the shredded couch cushions. I was glad that the others had already left. Emmett would have taunted me to no end if he had witnessed my lapse of control. The twins seemed able to sleep through anything, as were Jacob and Leah. Victor and Edward were nowhere to be found.

I thought that the worst was over as I hastily cleaned up my mess and replaced the couch cushion. The Cullens kept a large supply for those occasions when Emmett flopped down a little too hard on the couch.

I thought the worst of my day was over as I ran my hands through my tangled hair.

That is, until Edward and Victor rushed back inside the house bearing bad news.

Alice and Jasper were gone.

-

You know, I think I'm going to ask mom to get sick more often. I seem to do my best writing in the emergency waiting room.

Yes, I started this chapter almost a week ago while in the hospital, and I am finishing it in the hospital. Thank goodness that golf is the only thing on TV, or I might have never finished this.

Mom has another bladder infection. I'm hoping they give her some heavy-duty drugs to clear it up. I'm starting to think she should just _stay_ on antibiotics. Who cares about creating super bugs? I just want her to stop getting sick all the time.

Oh well. I'll write some more later. (And this time, I'm not gonna take two frigging weeks to do it! Man! I hate myself right now!)


	27. Chapter 27

Wolverine

Another day, another late update. I should have had this finished earlier this month, but I guess you'll be left hanging for a little while. I've written over seventy pages for my novel, (think _Talent Search _times three) _and_ I just finished writing a short story, which is due today, _and_ I have to write _another _short story, which is due later this week.

_And _I have to write a seminar for June 2nd.

_And _I have to find five articles for my Law class by next Friday.

_And _I somehow have to cram for exams all in just a few short weeks.

Anyone who says high school is the greatest time of a person's life can suck it!

Thanks for all the support for my mom. She's doing a little better, but she had to go back on chemo a couple weeks ago. It's the new stuff, though, so she's not getting as sick as the older medicine made her. She won't even lose her hair! Well, whatever hair she has left anyway.

Missa540 - Thanks, and sorry about your sister. My spellchecker says it _is_ spelled appendicitis. Nice spelling. I couldn't even do that one. Hope she's okay.

Bellarella - I'm pretty sure a vampire can kill anything, even an immortal mutant with super duper healing powers and a bad attitude.

Reef Cj - Laughing out loud.

Ah Xavier2163, what would I do without your input? I would probably have less desire to go over my reviews. I don't believe I should bring in any more X-Men. It might be somewhat off-putting for some. (Plus, I have very little knowledge about most of them. I never really got into X-Men; I just watched the new Wolverine movie and got slammed with this idea.) Well, keep reading, and I'll _try _to make this interesting.

Ducky - Glad you like him. I tried to make him as smooth as I could. He's fun to write.

Good news and sort of annoying news. As I've written before, I _will _be continuing _Talent Search_, and _Hunter_. As of right now, I have nothing written for the next chapter of _Talent Search_, but I assure you, I _will _update it sometime before or during my summer break. It's only May, so that should give me some time to finish Wolverine (broken record) and work on the next chapter for Hunter. Actually, I could probably write the next chapter for _Hunter _very quickly, but I made myself promise that I would finish _Wolverine _first, and by George, I'm going to do it!

Expect slow updates until I finish my novel, but keep the hope alive!

"_Gettin' to where you can't tell th' good guys from the bad without an official handbook."_

Bella's POV

Once I got over being furious at Alice, I had time to be afraid.

Alice had taken Jasper and run, maybe to find more witnesses, as she said, or maybe because she knew something bad would happen.

Well, if something _was _going to happen, could I really blame her for trying to keep Jasper safe? I knew that if our situations were reversed, I would sacrifice everything to protect Edward.

Vick and Carlie began to laugh as Remy exploded yet _another _tree with his ability.

Well, almost anything, I amended.

"Tanya and her family will be here in a few minutes," Edward told me, wrapping his arms around my waist. "We should get inside."

I nodded. "Remy!" I called. "This is your last chance to disappear. I don't know how the other vampires are going to take to you."

"I can take care of myself, _mon chéri._" He batted his eyelashes at me and picked up the twins. Victor let out a snort and followed behind him as we carried them inside. Leah and Jacob stood in the living room, carefully watching the front door. Seth rushed in through the back and slid to his knees to give the twins a hug before he rushed to Jacob's side. He grinned mischievously.

"Cool it, Seth," Jacob ordered. "We're going to _try _to keep these guys calm. It won't help the babies if you look like you're gonna pounce on them the first chance you get."

Seth pouted but did as he was told. I took the babies into the kitchen with Victor, Remy and the pack behind me. We'd decided that Edward was the best person to deal with the Denalis. I remembered Tanya's behaviour at the wedding and almost wished we didn't have to ask them for their help. I consoled myself by reserving the right to cut off any body parts that touched Edward in a way I didn't like.

Vick and Carlie smiled up at me as I set them down on the table. "Now, remember what I said."

"Stay near you," Vick began.

"Or Daddy," Carlie continued.

"Or Grandpa."

"Or Remy."

"Or Leah."

"Or Jacob."

"That's right," I told them, feeling a little dizzy.

Remy laughed and pulled out a deck of cards. Victor rolled his eyes. Jacob and Leah snorted. Edward didn't say anything.

Vick cocked his head to the side. "I hear them," he told me.

I listened closely and soon I could hear the sound of a car engine. I gripped the twins tightly to me and took a deep breath. From what Edward had told me, the Denalis wouldn't react very well to the thought of an immortal child, let alone _two._ Our best bet was to give them a heads up, which was why they needed to stay hidden until Edward had explained.

"Vick, you're going to come with me while your sister stays here," I explained in a rush. "Once they know what you are, we'll bring Carlie out. I don't want to overwhelm them."

Vick nodded sagely and gave his sister a pat on the arm.

"I'll watch her," Remy volunteered.

I nodded in relief and held my breath as the Denalis came inside. We listened as Edward tried to explain what was going on without mentioning anything specific. Vick rolled his eyes, almost chuckling, and then frowned as Edward told them about the danger we were in. Carlie looked up at me beseechingly, but I held a finger up to my lips.

Edward finished his monologue by making his cousins promise to listen and not judge what they saw. "I'd like you to witness for yourselves first," he told them. "What do you hear?"

I shifted uncomfortably, knowing that the Denalis could hear every sound in the kitchen.

"I hear a few heartbeats," Tanya said. "Bella, Victor, the wolves I _smell_," she added with distaste. Seth chuckled until Jacob silence him with a look. "There's someone else, but…what is _that?_" she asked, surprise colouring her tone.

"It sounds like some sort of bird," another voice, Eleazar's I presumed, added.

"No, but remember what you hear. Now, what do you smell?"

"The werewolves, Bella and Victor, and there's something else here. It smells like metal and raw meat mixed together," Tanya said unsurely.

I looked over at Remy and sniffed. Yeah, she was right. At least he didn't smell good enough to eat.

"What else?" Edward pressed.

"I smell…is that a human?" Eleazar asked doubtfully. "No," he said, answering his own question. "It's not a vampire either. What _is _that?"

"I'll show you," Edward said. "But please, remember what I said about listening first. Bella, bring Vick."

I picked up my son, hugging him anxiously, and walked toward the living room. Leah walked behind me protectively, and that made me feel better. We stopped at the doorway, and Vick looked up at the Denali family.

I was shocked by their reaction.

If I'd thought _Irina _had been outrageous, then I had completely underestimated just how freaked out a vampire could get. It was almost hysterical that a toddler-sized half-vampire could frighten four indestructible adults. I had to repress a grin as they clamoured for the door, hissing and growling as if they suspected Vick to tear into their throats at any moment.

It took almost a minute for Edward to calm them down before they realized that the quick pounding sound they'd heard was Vick's heartbeat.

"I am his father - his biological father. He is half-human, half-vampire."

"Though the human part is debatable," I interjected, still smirking. "He certainly _kicks _like a vampire," I said, giving Vick a mock-scolding look. He grinned back at me.

"I cannot believe this," Eleazar said in awe. But there was no other explanation for Vick's heartbeat and scent. He wandered closer to me, still dazed. "I cannot imagine how such a thing has occurred. He's one of a kind, certainly. "

Vick grinned up at him mischievously. "Not quite," he told him. "You haven't met my sister yet."

Once their introduction to the children was complete, they Denalis started in on the questioning. "What is the danger you spoke of, Edward?" Tanya asked. "The babies are harmless, so it must be the Volturi. How did they find out about them?"

I was sitting on the couch with Vick in my lap. Victor was beside me, Carlie sitting on his shoulders. Remy leaned against the wall near the doorway, eyeing the sisters with obvious lust. I rolled my eyes in his direction as if to say, _not a chance_. He shrugged in return and pulled out his cards.

"Irina," Edward answered bitterly. "She saw them with Bella and the werewolves."

"Shape-shifters," Victor corrected. I elbowed him to shut him up.

The Denalis took no notice of Victor's remark, though. They were too shocked by what Edward had told them. "Irina wouldn't do this. It must have been someone else," Kate pleaded.

"Alice saw her go to them," Edward told them. Their faces fell, knowing that Alice was rarely wrong. "We have a month, at the most."

Eleazar frowned. "So long?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"All of them are coming," I said.

He gapped at me. "The entire guard?" he questioned, looking at Edward and me, and even Leah, Jacob and Seth.

"Not just the guard," Edward said, shattering whatever ideas Eleazar probably had about the vampire world. "Aro, Marcus, and Caius too. Even their wives."

Their eyes glazed over.

"Alice said they weren't coming just to punish us," I added helpfully. "She said that there was some sort of hidden agenda, and that you would figure it out, Eleazar."

The vampire in question blinked at me, and then his gaze turned thoughtful. Edward growled as he heard his thoughts. "I may have the answer, but you're not going to like it." He put his hands behind his back and began to pace. "I once worked for the Volturi as part of their guard." Everyone tensed as he admitted this. "And there were some battles that, it seemed to me, were a little too…convenient for Aro."

He shook his head. "I can sense the hidden abilities of vampires and humans alike. I would seek out people for Aro's guard, and occasionally, I would be asked to sense for any talents in covens that needed to be destroyed." He shook his head again. "I never thought too much about it. It made sense to know what the enemy could do, but it seemed as though the vampires with those abilities were always spared."

I sat up straighter, entranced by this piece of information.

"Aro didn't often attend executions, but when he did, it was always the vampire with a talent that he allowed to live, saying that their thoughts were repentant. In some other cases, I would find a talented vampire who _wasn't _in need of being kept in order, but soon after I reported them to Aro, they became top priority."

"So what you're saying is that Aro made up some false accusations to get what he wanted?" I summed up for everyone. I huffed. "What a sweetheart."

Eleazar gave me a smile, but it quickly faded. "I can only assume that if Irina had not told them about your children, than they would have eventually found _some _reason to pay you a visit." He narrowed his eyes at me. "But, to be willing to bring the whole guard, he must want those abilities very badly."

Edward hissed. "He's never met Bella. He has no reason to suspect that she is good enough to be in his guard."

I looked at him. "Gee, _thanks_," I said sarcastically, but inside, I worried. Was I the real cause of this nightmare?

"Not only her, of course. Her grandfather, Jasper, Alice, you," Eleazar continued, listing off the talented people in our family.

I stiffened as I heard the last one. I looked at Edward anxiously, remembering that Aro had once asked him to be part of his guard.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "What matters is that Aro is abusing the trust that vampires give him to pursue his own goals. That was why Alice saw their decision before Irina even told them. They were just waiting for an excuse."

"But who would believe it?" Eleazar asked. "And even if they did, what could they do to stop it? There's no defeating the Volturi."

"Although some of us are crazy enough to try," Kate muttered.

"We're not asking you to fight," Edward reminded them. "Just to witness. Aro won't be able to deny that the children are not dangerous once he sees our thoughts. They will be forced to leave in peace."

"That _is_, if they stop to listen," Tanya said. "Between Alec and Jane, we won't stand a chance."

"_I'll _handle Jane. Her little mind-trick doesn't work on me," I said smugly.

Eleazar's eyebrows rose up to his hairline. "What?"

"She's immune to some of your mental attacks. I am too, by the way," Victor added. "Edward here can't get into our heads, and Bella didn't feel a thing when Jane tried to attack her."

"But that's…" Eleazar trailed off as he looked at Victor and me. His eyes then landed on Vick. "Genetic, it seems. I can't get a read on you either. It's so strange. I noticed it at the wedding, but now it seems to be almost amplified in you, Bella."

"There's a reason for that," I said, feeling awkward. "We kind of…had to use some old military experiment to help me make it through the twins' birth in one piece." I extended my new claws, smiling sheepishly at the astounded looks of the Denalis. "Let's just say I won't be going through any metal detectors without a fuss in the near future."

Eleazar took a step forward to brush his finger along my claw. He jerked his hand back in surprise, seeing a neat cut on his finger. "This is extraordinary."

"I usually am," I said immodestly.

Kate stepped forward next. "You're immune to Jane and Edward, but how about me?" she asked. "Touch my hand," she ordered, holding it out.

I looked to Edward for guidance, but he seemed unsure. Finally, I lifted my hand and clasped hers.

Nothing happened.

I glanced up at Kate to find her face scrunched up in concentration. She was obviously doing _something_. I just couldn't feel it.

She left go and huffed. "That's a first. Usually I can take down anyone in half a second. I was going full power, too."

"Interesting," Eleazar said. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was a shield."

I looked at him. "A what?"

He shrugged. "I suppose we weren't very formal about it in the guard, but basically anyone who had the power to defend was called a shield." He frowned suddenly. "And apparently completely unaware of it. Honestly, Edward, hadn't it ever occurred to you what she was?"

Edward frowned. "I thought it had something to do with her being…whatever she is."

"But of course, that theory breaks down when I am taken into consideration," Remy told them, speaking for the first time since the Denalis had arrived.

The Denalis looked at him in surprise. "And what exactly are _you?_" Tanya asked rudely.

Remy, of course, took no offence. He slipped his cards into his pocket, took off his hat, and bowed. "I am but a humble human with some very interesting talents. Bella is a very good friend of mine, and it is my duty to protect her and her children from any harm by any means necessary." He lifted his head up and winked mischievously at Tanya. "And if that means I must spend a month surrounded by ladies as lovely as you, than I shall endure this with good grace."

I rolled my eyes. "He survived the experiment as well, which is probably why he smells so weird. He doesn't have claws or anything, but he _is _immortal."

Eleazar blinked at him. "That's not all he has," he said dryly. "I believe we can add him to our list of _Things Aro Would Want._"

Tanya looked at him. "What do you mean?" she questioned.

I sighed, and ducked. There was a small explosion right above my head and the chandelier on the ceiling began to fall. Edward snatched it before it could fall onto the couch. He gave Remy a stern look. "You're going to have to pay for that," he told him. "That was Esme's favourite one."

Remy had the decency to look remorseful, but he couldn't help smiling as the Denalis stared slack-jawed at him. "I am what some refer to as a mutant. Victor and Bella are other examples. There are many more, of course, and we all display different abilities, much like your vampire talents," he explained. "It is quite possible that many of the vampires who developed extra abilities did so because of the same latent genes that caused _us _to become what we are. That is perhaps why the children have such powerful abilities, as _both _of their parents are mutants in their own way."

I stared; surprised that he could come up with something like that. But it did make sense. Obviously only certain vampires developed abilities, and only certain humans became mutants.

I wanted to discuss it more in-depth, but we heard the approach of another car. I rose to my feet, clutching Vick to me. "Time for round two," I said as more vampires arrived.

Do you know what's annoying? I can't use my little dash thingy anymore to divide my chapters up. It's taken them out of all of my chapters, so all the parts are squished together. I have to do this in the preview now. And another thing, now I have to select English instead of that being automatic. What's up with that? Do I _look _like I speak Spanish?

Oh, never mind about that. I just wanted to add that while I promised I wouldn't take so long to update, I _did _keep my word about not updating in two weeks. It has been a_ lot _longer than that!

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that I've finished most of the big assignments for my Writer's Craft class. Now there's just my novel, which I'm almost done. I also have a plan to bring my laptop to school during exam week, (it's coming up) so that after I finish my exam, I'll have three and a half hours of uninterrupted time to work on this story while I'm waiting for the buses to arrive. That's almost how long it takes me to write the average chapter.

The bad news is that we found out that my mom's cancer has spread to her stomach, which is why she's been so sick the past few months. She's at the hospital right now. They're going to start her on radiation and dope her up with some epic painkillers. I've been doing some research on foods that won't make her throw up from three-hour long stomach cramps. The list is very limited. She's been fighting this for twelve years, though, and they only gave her a year when they diagnosed her, so I know she can pull through. My grandma's going to come and look after her for a while.

I'm sure you understand how serious this is, but it's not really the reason I've had so much trouble updating. I'm mostly just bored with this story. I'll be so glad when it's over. _Hunter _keeps calling out to me.

I'll update as soon as I can. Catch you later.


	28. Chapter 28

Wolverine

Okay, since fan fiction isn't recognizing any of my symbols anymore, I guess I'm stuck with writing this; _Wolviewolviewolvie_, whenever there's a page break.

In other news, I have to return _Breaking Dawn_ to the library this Monday, so I'll have to step on it if I want this thing finished. Once my exams come up, I'll bring my computer to school to work on the chapters after I finish. (In my school, we have one two-hour exam at 8:30 to 10:30, and then we have to wait for the buses to come at 2:30. These take place over four days.) This gives me four hours to complete a chapter on the days I have exams. (I have two of them, but the first exam starts on June 18th, in which we have a half day, which still gives me about three hours to write while everyone with a first period exam is working). There's no way out of them, even if I _did_ have an A in those classes. Given all the time I'll have, I hope I can complete this by the end of June. If worse comes to worst, I can always go on you tube and listen to the audio book to give some guidance.

Thanks for the support for my mom again. I wrote this entire chapter while visiting her at the hospital. I didn't have any internet, so I had to wait until I got home to finish it off and publish. At least this time there was only a two-week gap between chapters.

I am now finished all my major assignments for Law and only have my novel due this Friday for Writer's Craft. My teacher says he can't wait to read it. (Now here's some shameless self-promoting). Would any of you be interested in reading it once I'm done? It shouldn't take too long to finish the final draft. I just have to edit another forty or so pages. (It won't take as long as it sounds. I'm a quick writer and an even faster reader. I could have the whole thing done in just a few more hours).

So, PM me if you want to read it. And here's chapter twenty-eight of Wolverine.

_Wolviewoviewolvie_

_"Didn't mean t' hurt your feelin's, bub - just the rest'a ya!"_

_Wolviewolviewolvie  
_

Bella's POV

Garrett leaned in close to me and sniffed my neck. His ruby eyes widened and he lifted a hand to run it through his sandy blond hair. "Nope, you are definitely not human," he said.

I snorted, an action that was shared by a good portion of the vampires in the living room with me, as well as Remy and Victor. Vick looked up at me from his spot on my knee and rolled his eyes. Carlie giggled and reached up to touch my face, replaying the moment in her mind. I smiled at them.

"I _told you_," Edward said smugly. "I wouldn't have asked anyone if we felt that Bella or the babies would be in danger. As you can tell, she doesn't smell very appetizing." He grinned.

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Neither do you, you smart-as-aleck," I quickly corrected, remembering the twins. With Vick, it was difficult to protect him from Emmett's dirty mind, and Rosalie's cursing, but I felt it was good to teach them how to be polite. Unfortunately, that meant I had to clean up my own language. Oh, the _sacrifices_ you made when you had children!

Edward grinned, perfectly aware as to what I was doing. Vick stuck his tongue out as well, showing his support for me.

"Such a mama's boy," Victor commented lazily. He was leaning against the doorway, near the Denali sisters.

"I'm not a mama's boy, I'm a ladies man," Vick corrected smugly, his green eyes flashing.

I burst out laughing. Remy and several of the less tense vampires joined in. Carlie swatted at her brother half-heartedly.

Garrett and the Denalis were only a small portion of our guests. The living room and dining room were almost completely filled with vampires, both nomads and covens. The rest of my new family had returned, aside from Alice and Jasper.

In total, there were nineteen vampires in the house, not counting the Cullens. Most of them were in covens, but others, like Garrett, were wanderers.

And out of all of them, seven had extra gifts.

Zafrina, a member of the Amazon Coven, could make you see things that weren't real. Victor, Vick, and I were immune, something that she found amusing. It was the first time her ability didn't work.

I already knew what Eleazar and Kate could do. They were powerful in their own right, but Benjamin from the Egyptian Coven overshadowed their abilities. From what Edward had told me, Benjamin could influence the elements. Remy said he reminded him of a mutant named Avalanche. He was some teenage boy who could create earthquakes with his mind. I was almost tempted to ask Remy to go look for him, but I figured were we already pushing it with Remy, Victor and me. Any more mutants and the Volturi would probably get spooked.

The Irish Coven had Maggie, a cute redhead who could tell when people were lying. I couldn't see her being much use in a fight, but Carlisle assured me that he would do everything he could to prevent violence. Siobhan, also from the Irish Coven, was adamant that she didn't have any ability. According to Carlisle, though, she could influence the outcome of events. I wasn't so sure about that, but I wasn't going to argue with him.

None of the American Nomads had any extra powers, but Alistair, a European Nomad, was a Tracker, like James, only less of an asshole and more of the misanthropic variety. He spent his days in the attic, mumbling to himself.

"Of course, now they'll know I was here," I heard him grumble. I looked up, raising an eyebrow at the ceiling. "No way to keep it from Aro at this point. Centuries on the run, that's that this will mean. Everyone Carlisle's talked to in the last decade will be on their list. I can't believe I got myself sucked into this mess. What a fine way to treat your friends."

Vick shook his head. "That guy has some serious issues," he told me. I tried to frown at this obvious display of disrespect, but it was true.

If Alistair was aware that Vick had just insulted him, he hid it well. I listened to him rant on about the Volturi, once again nervous by how powerful they seemed in the eyes of a vampire.

Vick suddenly smiled at Kate. "Oh, that sounds like fun!"

Edward frowned. "Are you sure about that, Kate?" he asked seriously.

Kate shrugged. "I figured we could use all the help we can get. Eleazar said so himself, she's a lot stronger than before."

I stared at all three of them blankly, as did the rest of the vampires, Victor, Remy, Jacob, Leah, and Seth as well. "Mind giving the non-telepaths a hint as to what you're going on about?" I asked.

Edward sighed. "Kate wants to try to see if you can project your shield around someone other than yourself."

My eyes widened. "Is that possible?" I asked, looking at Eleazar. He was the most knowledgeable about talents.

He pressed his lips into a thin line and stared at me with his penetrating stare. "Perhaps…" he admitted. "I don't know for sure, though. I've never encountered anyone like you before."

I stood up, holding a baby on each hip. "Well then, let's go find out. What do you want to try, Kate?" I asked.

Her eyes flashed over to Edward for a second. "Well…" she started slowly. "I suppose the smartest thing to do is to try to give you a little incentive." She smirked and Edward groaned.

"Fine," he said.

"Once again, I can't read minds."

Edward sighed again. "Kate thinks she should try shocking me to get you to try to expand your shield."

I bit my lip, two desires warring inside my mind. "Can't Zafrina do it? I mean, if she's okay with it," I said quickly, looking at the tall, lanky woman.

"I wouldn't mind," she said.

"No, no," Kate insisted, a smile forming. "Shields are controlled by a desire to protect. The worst she can do is make Edward see some scary pictures or something. No," she grinned. "We need to push you as hard as we can."

I bit my lip a little harder. "If Edward's okay with it, then I guess we could try." I looked at him, half-hoping that he would say no.

He sighed heavily. "Alright, what do I have to lose?" he murmured.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

A lot, apparently.

Despite how hard I tried, I couldn't seem to keep my shield wrapped safely around Edward. This, of course, resulted in him getting hurt, me getting ticked, and Victor getting a cramp from laughing so hard.

I growled and muttered something very rude about him.

"Focus, Bella," Kate insisted as she shocked Edward once again.

I closed my eyes, trying to get a better feel as to what my shield was. It felt like a thin, rubber band that clutched itself to my body at all times. It was a wonder that I'd never noticed it before. And all it took was a little awareness.

Kate sighed as she once again managed to shock Edward.

"Son of a bitch!" he hissed.

I smacked his shoulder. "Don't swear in front of the babies," I told him crossly.

"This isn't working," Kate said, seeming annoyed.

Suddenly, Edward stiffened and growled. "Don't even think about it, Kate."

Kate smirked. "Well, we have to try _something_." She looked over at Jacob, who was holding Carlie in his arms. Leah stood beside him with Vick. "Carlie, dear, do you want to help your mommy?" she called in a sweet voice.

I figured out what she was talking about the same time Jacob did. He clutched Carlie closer to his chest, and I was suddenly very grateful that he could transform into a giant, mutant wolf.

I grabbed Kate's arm hard enough to crush her stone skin between my fingers. "Honey, if you want to keep your hands, you'll keep them off my kids."

Kate huffed. "Fine, fine," she said, and I released her. The indent of my hand smoothed out in seconds.

"Only Edward," I insisted, just in case she didn't understand the first time.

She nodded and reached for Edward's shoulder.

And the strangest thing happened.

Suddenly, it was as if the elastic band that surrounded me loosened. I pushed it out, wrapping it around Edward.

Kate's hand touched his shoulder and I saw confusion in her expression. She scrunched her face up in concentration, but her attack was useless. Edward was as safe as I was.

"Amazing," Edward breathed. "I don't feel a thing," he said, looking smugly at Kate.

"No one panic," Zafrina warned the little group watching me. Everyone except Victor, Vick, and Senna, another member of the Amazon Coven, gasped in surprise.

Their eyes were blank, staring at nothing. Vick looked around, surprised. He touched his sister's hand and his eyes went blank as well. He quickly let go. "Everybody's blind, mommy!" he called.

"I want to see how many you can shield," Zafrina explained. "Raise your hand when you get your sight back," she told the others.

It was easier said than done. My shield felt heavier every second. I felt vulnerable, but I pushed it out, trying to surround everyone before I lost it completely. I clenched my jaw and pushed it around Kate. She blinked and raised her hand.

"Fascinating," Edward murmured. "It's like one-way glass. I can read everything they're thinking, but they can't reach me behind it. I can read Kate, though, and I bet she can shock me now. I still can't hear you, though."

I clenched my teeth even harder and felt my claws extend an inch out of my knuckles. Garrett, the closest vampire next to Kate, put his hand up as well as I continued to push.

"Very good," Zafrina complimented. "Now-"

But she'd spoken too soon. The elastic band snapped back in place around me. I collapsed to the ground, feeling like I'd just bench-pressed a tank for an hour. "Okay, I need a minute," I panted.

Edward quickly reached down and lifted me up. My head lolled to the side and rested against his shoulder. "I think you need more than a minute. When's the last time you slept?"

I shrugged weakly not bothering to open my eyes. "I dunno. Tuesday?" I guessed.

Edward sighed. "Bella, it's Friday."

My eyes snapped open. "The 24th?" I asked. He nodded, and I clenched my eyes shut as if I was in pain. "We're running out of time."

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Victor's POV

I couldn't argue with that. Alice said it would snow in January. What did that give us? A week? Week and a half? I really should have paid better attention in school.

I took a deep breath and froze. Someone was here. The sharp, sugary scent told me it was a vampire, but it was stranger, almost musty.

"We've got company," I said.

Bella sniffed instinctively and groaned. "I'm so not in the mood for more introductions. I thought you said they'd found everyone," she said, looking up at Edward accusingly.

Edward narrowed his eyes. "We didn't go looking for them. They came looking for us. We had better go."

Bella, not wanting to seem weak, forced herself to walk home even though she could barely keep her eyes open. I watched her with concern, wondering how long she could keep that up.

"Did Alice send you?" Carlisle's voice drifted over to us as we headed for the front yard. The new scent was stronger here, and I realized that there were actually two of them.

"No one sent us," a deep whispery voice answered. It was downright creepy sounding. We approached cautiously, keeping the babies out of sight.

"Then what brings you here?" Carlisle continued. He sounded nervous.

"Word travels," the other vampire answered. His voice sounded almost the same as the other. "We heard hints that the Volturi were moving against you. There were whispers that you would not stand alone. Obviously, the whispers were true. This is an impressive gathering."

"We are not challenging the Volturi," Carlisle insisted. "There has been a misunderstanding, one which we hope to clear up. They are here to witness, not to fight. We only need the Volturi to listen. We didn't-"

"We don't care what they say you did," the first vampire interrupted.

And that was just rude, if you ask me. Carlisle might've been kind of a wimp when it came to fighting, but that didn't mean you could insult the guy.

"And we don't care if you broke the law," the first guy finished.

"No matter how egregiously," the second continued.

"We've been waiting a millennium and a half for the Italian scum to be challenged," number one said. "If there is any chance they will fall, we will be here to see it."

"Or even to help defeat them," number two added. "If we think you have a chance for success."

What a charming pair. Adorable, really.

"Bella," Carlisle called softly. "Bring the twins out, would you? Perhaps you might change your minds." He said.

Bella was in no condition to keep the kids safe, so I pointed to Jacob and Leah. The got the hint and walked to the front yard.

I followed close behind, as did Edward and Seth. Kate kept her hands in her pockets, and I guessed that she was charged up enough to make the new guys drop like they'd been tasered if they came near the babies.

The vampires out front were freakier than normal. Their skin was even paler than what was normal for a vampire. They were short and slight. One had dark hair, while the other had ashy blond. Their eyes were dark burgundy, meaning that they were hungry. I supposed Edward would have to lend out another car for them to go hunting, not that I wouldn't mind if they wolves tore these guys apart.

The dark-haired one grinned as Jacob and Leah came into view. Vick glared at them with distrustful eyes, while Carlie bit her lip as she studied them.

"My, my, we _have _been naughty."

"They aren't what you think, Stefan."

I snorted. _Vampire Diaries. _If the other guy was named Damon, I was gonna tear my own eyes out.

"And we don't care either way," the blond one responded. "As we said before."

"Then you're welcome to observe, Vladimir, but it is definitely not our plan to challenge the Volturi, as _we _said before," Carlisle insisted.

"Then we'll just cross our fingers," Stefan began.

"And hope we get lucky," Vladimir finished.

For a second, nobody seemed to know what to do. I backed up a step and touched Bella's shoulder. "Oookaaay," I said, drawing out the word. "If you guys are done making Bela Lugosi turn over in his grave, me and my granddaughter will be upstairs catching some shut-eye."

The new bloodsuckers glanced at me in confusion. I wrapped an arm around Bella and led her into the house, making sure I could see where they were at all times.

"Don't insult the original Dracula by comparing him to those guys," she murmured tiredly.

"Actually, I'm pretty sure that John Polidori's _The Vampyre_ would be a better comparison," I amended. "Way older, and way less sex appeal."

She laughed. "You're such an old man."

"I'm a _wise _old man," I said as I led her up the stairs. "Now, seriously, get some sleep. It's Christmas tomorrow."

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Ah, I just love hospital waiting rooms. Once again, I've written a whole chapter. Thank goodness, I can't get internet out here. (Sarcasm; bitter, razor-sharp, sarcasm).

Mom's in the hospital, _again_. She has another infection, but she's doing a lot better. She might be home by Monday, or even tomorrow if she's lucky. They haven't started her radiation yet, since they're so busy treating her infection. Radiation reduces a person's ability to fight infections, so they don't want to fry her immune system knowing that she's still sick.

I'll update as soon as I can. See ya.


	29. Chapter 29

Wolverine

My mom passed away over two weeks ago, on Friday the 18th. She went peacefully, according to my step-dad. You guys would probably understand if I took a little longer to finish my stories than I intended. I just haven't been able to conjure up much creativity lately. I started writing a new novel a few days ago, 300 words each day. It's not for school or anything, just for fun, and possibly therapy.

I thought about what I would do if my mom died. I mean, I lost my dad when I was eleven, but I was never as close to him as I was to my mom. I got upset, of course, but I hadn't really seen him or talked to him for at least a few months. I guess what I'm saying is that I was kind of off balance. I knew she was going to die, but she'd beaten the odds a thousand times before. It just seems really sudden.

I won't burden you with too many details. Mom didn't want me to be miserable. She's always loved reading the things I wrote, and she'd certainly want me to finish my stories, including the ones I haven't started writing yet. If any of you guys like _Star Wars_, be prepared for a damned good fanfic sometime in the near future. (By future, I mean like next summer…maybe).

Oh, I took Prudiisten's advice and downloaded _Breaking Dawn._ I'm going to buy the book soon anyway, so this is just a temporary fix. (What I'm saying is, don't call the cops on me).

All right, let's see if I can still do this. Here's chapter twenty-nine.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

"_The killers who always live to fight again aren't the ones who worship death - they're the ones who love life."_

_Wolviewolviewolvie  
_

Victor's POV

Saturday, December 25th, 2010

Bella was up to something.

I might've never spent much time with her overall, but I knew her well enough to know when something fishy was going on with her. There was just something about the way she looked at everyone, sorta happy, but at the same time, so worried. She worked herself to the point of exhaustion, and then some, yet a few hours later, she was running full speed again, training with Kate and Zafrina all night long.

I figured it was better to keep my mouth shut about it. She'd never admit that anything was wrong in front of her kids, or anyone else for that matter.

I was glad when she invited me to go visit Charlie. With all the _non-vegetarian _vampires running around, Grandpa Charlie hadn't had much time to bond with the pipsqueaks. Jake and Leah were coming too.

I wasn't too sure about the whole, _letting Charlie in on anything_, but Bella trusted him, and that was good enough for me…for now.

We piled into Emmett's jeep. I didn't fit too well in any of the other cars the Cullens owned. The jeep was roomy, even _with_ six people inside.

Correction; two mutants, two shape-shifters, and two half-vampire, half-mutant toddlers.

Jacob took a deep breath and let it out with a _whoosh_ and a smile. "That's better. I'm getting so sick of all these reeking blood-suckers."

I didn't bother to point out that the object of his infatuation was half-said-bloodsucker. Some things were best left alone when dealing with bad-tempered shape-shifters.

Bella had no such inhibition. "They're here to help, Jake," she said sternly, speeding through the streets with the steering wheel held tight between her fingers.

"Sure, sure," Jacob said, his answer to her every complaint. "Say what you want, I still think Dracula One and Dracula Two are creep-tacular."

"Amen," Leah murmured. Her eyes were closed and her hand held her head up. She looked like she could use a nap.

Bella cracked a smile. "I don't disagree with you there. But please, try to be tolerant for a little while longer."

Jake sighed and leaned his head against the dashboard. Carlie sat beside him, and she reached up to touch his face. He grimaced. "I don't see why you like them," he answered.

"They're interesting," Vick replied. He sat in between Leah and me. I suppose we should've got them some car seats or something, but it wasn't exactly high on our list of priorities.

I chuckled. Sure, if you were into B-rated horror movies. I wondered if he'd enjoy watching the old _Nightmare On Elm Street _series.

We pulled up to Charlie's house. I could smell something good coming from the kitchen. Sue, Leah and Seth's mom, must've come over to bond over their supernatural kids or something. They were weird like that.

Charlie came outside before we even opened the door. He saw the twins and held out his arms. He picked Carlie up and hugged her to his chest. "Man, oh man, Bells! They're getting so _big!_" For a second, his forehead seemed to wrinkle with worry, but he quickly masked it. "Hey, Vick, ready to throw around a football yet?" he asked with a grin.

Vick rolled his eyes, but smiled a second later.

Huh, middle-aged human male versus toddler-sized half-vampire, half-mutant boy. Now _there_ was a match I'd pay money to see.

"Hello, Victor," he greeted me, his voice losing some of its joviality.

I smiled with my mouth closed. No need to scare the guy anymore with my fangs. "Hey, Charlie."

Bella's foster dad didn't like me too much. I couldn't really blame him. My hygiene was questionable at best, and I _did _have a certain intimidating air around me. I made up for it, though, by being a good great-grandpa to the twins, although my official title was _great-uncle._

"Leah, Jacob," he continued, nodding at them. I sensed that they still made him nervous, though, finding out that the guy you tried to hook up with your foster daughter is actually a werewolf tended to do that.

"You hungry, Bella?" he asked, smiling again.

It didn't surprise me in the slightest when she said, "I'm sorry, I've got to run an errand. I need to go pick up a Christmas gift for the twins in Seattle. I could be a while, so you should just get started without me."

Charlie frowned. "Is it really that important?"

Bella gave him a timid smile. "I ordered it from a jewellery store in France. It just arrived this morning and I really want to give it to them today."

"What is it?" he asked.

Her smile tightened. "It's a surprise," she clipped.

He frowned more heavily, but finally sighed and invited the rest of us in. Bella headed for the jeep again. I followed behind her. She stopped and turned around. Her expression was a thousand miles away from what it should look like on Christmas morning.

"What?" she asked.

"Is everything okay?" I was aware that Jake and Leah could hear us.

"I'm just worried about what's going to happen, I guess," she answered, and then she did something that surprised even me. She held up her hands and began to sign a few words as quickly as she could. I knew ASL; that is, American Sign Language. Stryker had given us a few lessons when we worked for him. It'd been a while, though, and took me a few seconds to work out what she was telling me.

Fake I.D.s, the sign for _baby, _and _wolf_, and something about Alice. It didn't take a genius to figure out what she was doing. Covering her bases, making sure her kids would be all right. She pointed at me, asking with her eyes. I shook my head, understanding what she wanted. I wasn't leaving her, even if I had somewhere else to go. Let Leah and Jacob watch out for the babies. They were in good hands. It was Bella who needed protection, not me.

"Yeah, well, I guarantee that I'll fight with everything I got. It'll be just like old times." I grinned at her. "We'll show 'em why we're the best."

"_I'm _the best, old man," she retorted with a poke to my chest. "And don't you forget it."

And with that, she left.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

She made it back in time for dinner. Charlie had saved a few presents for everyone so that she didn't feel singled out opening hers alone. Overall, it was a pretty decent day.

The euphoria wore off quickly, though. The drive home was tense. Only Bella seemed in a better mood. Leah and Jacob had heard our conversation, although they didn't know the specifics, and I wasn't going to spill anything yet. I figured Bella would deal with that when the time was right.

Vick jerked awake as we approached the house. He rubbed his eyes and frowned. "That crabby old man from the attic is gone," he informed us.

As we pulled into the driveway, I could see that he was right. The living room was filled with agitated vampires. Two or three of them paced in front of the windows. We got out of the jeep and headed inside. Carlisle and Amun, the leader of the Egyptian Coven, seemed to be arguing. We walked inside, the wolves keeping back to avoid the stench. Honestly, they smelled okay to me, once you got over the _hair-standing-on-end _feeling.

The argument was the center of attention as pretty much every vampire was listening in on it. It didn't surprise me. Eternity got boring after awhile.

"Amun, if you want to go, no one is forcing you to stay," Carlisle said calmly.

"You're stealing half my coven, Carlisle!" Amun shrieked, stabbing one finger at Benjamin. "Is that why you called me here? To steal from me?"

Carlisle sighed, and Benjamin rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Carlisle picked a fight with the Volturi, endangered his whole family, just to lure me here to my death," Benjamin said sarcastically.

I choked back a laugh. Teenagers will be teenagers, undead or not.

"Be reasonable, Amun," he continued. "I'm committed to do the right thing here. I'm not joining any other coven. You can do whatever you want, of course, as Carlisle has pointed out."

"This won't end well," Amun growled. "Alistair was the only sane one here. We should all be running."

"Think of who you're calling sane," Tia, Benjamin's girlfriend, murmured.

"We're all going to be slaughtered!"

"It's not going to come to a fight," Carlisle said in a firm voice.

"You say!"

"If it does, you can always switch sides, Amun. I'm sure the Volturi will appreciate your help."

I saw Bella stiffen beside me. Her hands clenched tight, making her knuckles turn white. She ground her teeth together for a second and then took a slow, deep breath. I narrowed my eyes at the Egyptian vampire and put my hand on my granddaughter's shoulder as a show of support.

Amun sneered back at Carlisle, proving that he had no respect for his so-called _friend_. "Perhaps that is the answer," he agreed, and Bella jerked out of my grip. She didn't seem like she would attack him, but I kept my guard up just in case.

Carlisle's answer was soft and sincere. "I wouldn't hold that against you, Amun. We have been friends for a long time, but I would never ask you to die for me."

"Though if he doesn't shut up, I'll be happy to do the honours," I announced abruptly. Every vampire in the room snapped their heads over to look at me. It was kind of freaky. I grinned and leaned against the doorway, crossing my arms. "You know, the stress must be getting to you, Amun. You're getting paranoid. Carlisle's not the kind of guy who steals _anything_, and he's certainly not scary enough to force anyone to do anything against their will, no offence, Doc," I said, ducking my head to him in respect.

He gave me a surprised look, and nodded back.

I looked back over at Amun and gave him a look I usually saved for the guys I really wanted to strangle with their own intestines. "If Benny's planning on jumping ship, then it's his decision. If not," I shrugged. "Then you got nothing to worry about."

I could see he was sizing me up. Those red eyes didn't miss a thing. If he wanted to start a fight with me, then he'd better be willing to risk it all. Men with small minds and big mouths weren't exactly my idea of good company, and everyone was stirred up enough without him adding more fuel to the fire.

He glared at me for a few more tense seconds before he broke eye contact. "I'll stay, Carlisle, but it might be to your detriment. I will join them if that's the road to survival. You're all fools if you think you can defy the Volturi." He scowled, then sighed, glanced at Vick and Carlie, and added in an exasperated tone, "I will witness that the children have grown. That's nothing but the truth. Anyone would see that."

"That's all we've ever asked," Carlisle replied. I had to hand it to him; he had more patience than a saint did.

Amun grimaced, "But not all that you are getting, it seems." He turned on Benjamin. "I gave you life. You're wasting it."

Benjamin glared steadily at him. "It's a pity you couldn't replace my will with your own in the process; perhaps then you would have been satisfied with me."

I really liked that kid.

Amun's eyes narrowed. He gestured abruptly to Kebi, his mate, and they stalked past us, Amun slowing slightly to glare at me, and headed out the front door.

"He's not leaving," Edward told everyone. He walked over to us and put his arm over Bella's shoulders.

"Too bad," I said. "I don't like unpredictable people. You can't concentrate on fighting if you're worried about your allies taking a shotgun to your head."

"You deserved it," Bella muttered, her tone laced with humour.

I groaned in reply. "Do you have _any _idea how long it takes to wash the remnants of your temporal lobe out of your hair?"

She grinned. "Considering your bathing habits, I'd say two or three years. Granted, that's _only _if you had some soap handy at the time."

I rolled my eyes. "I don't know _where _you get your violent nature from."

She shrugged. "Probably grandma's side of the family. _Definitely _not from you, you law-abiding citizen, you."

I chuckled, unable to help myself. "Yeah, yeah, I deserved it. But, seriously, how long did you think you could pretend to be a guy?"

She held up her dog tags and waved them back and forth. "Lasted two world wars with no one the wiser."

I rolled my eyes again. "So modest," I commented. "Then again, nobody ever had a chance to take a bath in the trenches." I grinned backed at her. "I'm sorry, hon, but the look on your face!" I laughed, tears filling my eyes.

Her expression lost its humour and she pointed at me threateningly. "I _will _hurt you, Victor," she warned.

Edward cleared his throat, reminding me that we weren't alone. In fact, Bella and I were the center of attention now. I grinned in amusement.

"What exactly did you do to make her shoot you in the head?" Emmett asked. He and Rosalie were leaning against the back of the couch.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Bella cut me off. "Don't even _think _about it," she hissed.

I grinned and spoke anyway. "Our team was doing some work over in Africa for Stryker. Bella hadn't told anyone that she was really a girl."

Bella lunged at me, but I jumped over to the couch behind Emmett. "So one day, she takes off on her own for a bath, and the guys come around lookin' for her."

She lunged again, and this time, I let her pin me down. I didn't stop talking, though. "So I tell them which way she went, and-"

Bella let the claws on her right hand out and pointed them at my throat. "One more word, Victor. I dare you."

Emmett came to my rescue. He picked her up off me and held her back. "_And?_" he questioned with a grin.

"You're _pushing it_, Victor!" she yelled, struggling to free her hands.

I stood up again, throwing my head back with a laugh. "And the boys got a full-frontal view!"

Bella wrenched out of Emmett's grasp and knocked me to the ground. "You are so _dead!_" She clenched her right hand into a fist and lined her claws up with my eyes.

"Alright, alright," Carlisle said, holding up his hands. He looked helplessly at Emmett who reached down to pick her up again.

She elbowed him in the gut, _hard_. "Just give me five minutes, Carlisle. I'll clean up afterwards, I _swear_."

I collapsed in a heap, laughing hysterically. "Oh, man! I've never heard you scream so loud! The guys were so scared of you. John couldn't look you in the eye for a _week!_"

"John was lucky he still _had_ eyes to look with," she replied stubbornly. "And so were you."

"Oh, yeah," I said sarcastically. "Having a 12-gauge pump action shotgun go off in my ear canal was _way _better."

"Like I said, you deserved it," she replied, trying to sound serious. Still, her mouth began to turn up into a smile.

The tension was broken. My job was done. I got to my feet and brushed myself off. "Why'd the old coot from the attic take off, anyway?" I asked.

Edward frowned. "We can't be sure, but from what he's been going on about…" He shook his head. "My guess is that he felt that a fight is inevitable."

"He probably thinks that the Volturi will attack even if we can prove your innocence, that they'll find some other excuse to achieve their goals," Eleazar chimed in.

I looked at him for a moment. "And you, El, what do _you _think?"

He frowned, and the conflict he felt was visible in his eyes. "To be honest, Mr Creed, I'm not sure _what _to think anymore."

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Well, that's the end of this chapter. I wrote it while listening to a whole youtube playlist of Mozart and Bach. Mozart is easier for me to write to. Bach seems to be all over the place. It's a little distracting.

On a good note, two of my stories have been nominated for something called the _Bring Me To Life Awards._ I checked it out, and it seems pretty cool. GreenEyes555 said that I should ask you guys to vote for me, so here's the website; .

_Hunter_ has been nominated for the _songbird award_, and _Talent Search _has been nominated for the _in the dark award._ Go check it out if you feel like it.

I went to see _Eclipse _with my grandma, aunt and cousin. _Loved it!_ Best movie yet, in my opinion. David Slade did a damn good job.

Also, yesterday I went shopping and found the graphic novel version of _Twilight_. I literally have no reason to leave my house this summer. Well, I'm off to dump some ice down my shirt. Despite what some people believe about Canadian weather, _it's freaking boiling up here!_

I'll see you later.


	30. Chapter 30

Wolverine

Thanks for the support everybody, I really appreciate it. I've been taking care of the house by myself a lot. It's a lot easier than I thought it'd be, although I _do _use a ridiculous amount of dishes.

The temperature dropped down to something a little more bearable. It's 26 degrees Celsius now. That's 79 Fahrenheit for my American readers. It was up to 39 (102) degrees just a few days ago. It was pretty damn humid too.

More good news; I'm going to stay with a friend of mine in a few days. And in August, I'm going to Canada's Wonderland (it's anamusement park in Ontario) with my cousin. All I need now are some anti-nausea pills and a pair of contact lenses and I'll be set!

I think I can finish this in just a few more chapters. I have about fifty pages or so left in _Breaking Dawn_, but you'd be surprised how much I skip through. Of course, I'm planning on adding a little extra in the next few chapters, so keep an open mind.

Here's chapter thirty.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

"_Correction. I'm an insignificant hairy barbarian mutant with a mutant healing factor, adamantium-laced bones, razor-sharp adamantium claws and I'm the best at what I do!"_

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Victor's POV

For the next few days, things settled down a bit. Bella continued practicing her shield and I went back to lazing about. The one good thing about vampire guests was that I didn't have to give up my spot on the couch whenever I felt like a nap. Alice and Jasper's bed was free, but it didn't seem right to use it. Besides, I knew _exactly_ what they did on their own time, and I had no desire to find the evidence.

On New Year's Eve, I saw it.

"It's snowing," I announced. The whole household heard me, and they knew what it meant. Vick clutched at my pants and I scooped him up onto my lap. "Okay, you know the plan, right kiddo? I take the sixty on the left; you take the sixty on the right. When we get through crushing the pansies, we'll go to the McDonalds with the play place, and you'll help me scope out a few single moms."

He laughed and leaned his head against my stomach. A few of our guests laughed too, but most of them just gave me dirty looks, especially the ladies. I guess Vick got his charms from his Daddy.

"You're a riot, Victor," Bella deadpanned. She was still a little pissed at me about the whole _revealing-her-most-embarrassing-secret_, but at least she was talking to me now.

"Yep," I agreed. "So, do we leave tonight?" I looked at Carlisle. He and Esme stood by the stairs, staring into each other's eyes. It was kind of awkward, but I remembered what Kayla and me had, so I kept my mouth shut.

Carlisle pursed his lips in thought. "Alice said that there was snow on the ground in her vision. We should probably stay away from the town if Demetri is tracking us right now."

Edward got up off his piano bench and Bella followed in sync. "That's a good idea," he said. "The last thing we want is them to knock on our door while we're unprepared." His eyes lit up in a way that let me know he was thinking of something important. "Alice's vision took place in the field where we fought the newborn army. We should leave now if we want to be there when they arrive."

I saw everyone tense, and wondered how dedicated this motley crew was to standing up against these Volturi guys.

"I'm in!" I yelled, startling everyone as I jumped to my feet with Vick in my arms. "This'll be a blast, kiddo. Your mom and I used to camp out almost every night back in the day. Hey!" I looked over to Bella with a grin. "Remember when we ran outta toilet paper, and Wade went and used poison ivy to wipe?"

She burst out laughing, grabbing onto Edward's shoulder as she folded in half, clutching her stomach. "Oh, _god_, yes! I caught him using one of his swords to scratch." She snickered. "He went a whole day without talking to me. It was beautiful."

I sighed. "Yeah, good old Wade. Too bad, he bit the bullet. Ah well, Stryker could use the company."

"An eternity with Wade? I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

I shrugged. "So, we going or what?" I asked, looking around the room. The vamps looked a little more composed by now.

Edward smirked at me. He knew what was up. "I think that's a very good idea. Let's go."

"You guys go ahead," Bella said quickly. She strode over to me and held her arms out. Vick jumped into her embrace and she turned around. "Vick and I will go wake up Remy. We'll be there in a little while."

It didn't take a genius to figure out that this was the moment she'd waited for. There was no privacy in this house, and she needed to fill Vick in on her little plan.

I grinned. "I'll wait for you. Wouldn't want Lebeau to get too cozy with you," I said, wiggling my eyebrows at her. She smacked my arm and marched toward the stairway.

"Are you sure you don't want me to wait for you?" Edward asked.

"No, it's fine," she insisted without turning around. "I'll be there in a jiffy." She began climbing the stairs hurriedly before anyone else could say anything.

"Don't sweat it, Eddie," I reassured him. "I'll keep an eye on her." I looked over at Jacob, Leah and Seth. "You three better call Sam and the rest of the dog pack. I have a feeling that we're gonna need them."

They nodded and headed into the woods to phase. The living room quickly emptied out as Carlisle began leading the guests to the field. Edward lingered a moment longer, but I quickly shooed him away.

A few minutes later, I heard Bella's soft voice. "I love you and your sister more than anything."

"I love you, too, Momma," Vick answered just as softly. "We'll always be together."

"In our hearts we'll always be together," she corrected. I could actually _hear _how painful it was for her to say the words. "But when the time comes today, you have to leave me."

I heard Vick's breath catch. "No," he moaned. I heard a rustle of fabric and could alone assume that he was tugging on her shirt in desperation. I wished that she would hurry up. The new air freshener Esme used was making my eyes burn.

I heard Bella swallow loudly. "Will you do it for me? Please?"

"Why?" he asked. He sounded close to tears.

Damn it! The _goddamned_ air freshener!

I wiped my eyes furiously with my sleeve and slouched against the wall.

"I can't tell you," she whispered. "But you'll understand soon. I promise."

"Leah? Jacob? Carlie?" he whispered back.

"It'll be okay, honey. Don't tell them until I tell you to run, okay?"

I heard Vick's breath hitch and then he uttered a soft, "Uh huh."

There was a few more seconds of silence, and then I jumped out of my skin as Bella yelled, _"Put your pants on, Remy! It's time to go!"_

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Bella's POV

Remy and Victor ran behind me as we raced toward the field. A shiver went down my spine and I recognized the scent of the shape-shifters. The field came into view and we slowed down. Remy was out of breath. He was still too human and too tired despite all his gifts. I hoped we had a little more time before they arrived.

The snowfall was getting heavier. It stuck to the soles of my shoes and I knocked them against a nearby tree. I saw Remy doing the same. Victor ignored his dirty boots in favour of scoping out the field.

"So, _this _is where the _real _action took place," he muttered. "I can still smell their ashes.

I sniffed experimentally and wrinkled my nose. He was right. The scent hung in the air, permeating everything inch of the surrounding forest.

We took our place, Vick and Carlie climbing agilely onto my back to leave my hands free. I stood a few feet behind the front line made up by Carlisle, Edward, Emmett, Rosalie, Tanya, Kate, and Eleazar. Close beside me were Benjamin and Zafrina. It was my job to protect them as long as I could. They were our best offensive weapons. If the Volturi were the ones who could not see, even for a few moments, that would change everything.

Zafrina was rigid and fierce, with Senna almost a mirror image at her side. Benjamin sat on the ground, his palms pressed to the dirt, and muttered quietly about fault lines. Remy took his place beside the young vampire. If it came to a fight, he would use his kinetic powers to charge up a few boulders and Benjamin would send them flying at the Volturi Guard. I almost _hoped _it turned into a fight just to see the looks on their faces.

Victor stood close to me. He scanned the field again, his expression telling me that he was a soldier again. He would strike fast, hard and with no mercy.

The witnesses clustered to our left and right. They eyed the forest fearfully and determinedly. I did the same. In the woods behind us, the invisible wolves were still and ready; we could only hear their heavy panting, their beating hearts.

The clouds rolled in, diffusing the light so that it could have been morning or afternoon. Edward's eyes tightened as he scrutinized the view, and I was sure he was seeing this exact scene for the second time—the first time being Alice's vision. It would look just the same when the Volturi arrived. We only had minutes or seconds left now.

I took a quick glance behind me. Victor grinned slowly back at me, his eyes narrowed and his fists clenched at his sides. "Get ready, baby girl," he told me, tensing into an almost-crouch in his excitement.

All our family and allies braced themselves. From the forest, the huge russet Alpha wolf came forward to stand at my side; it must have been too hard for him to keep his distance from Carlie when she was in such immediate danger. Leah quickly followed suit and crowded next to Victor.

Without risking a glance behind, Edward reached back to me. I stretched my arm forward so that I could grip his hand. He squeezed my fingers.

Another minute ticked by, and I found myself straining to hear some sound of approach.

And then Edward stiffened and hissed low between his clenched teeth. His eyes focused on the forest due north of where we stood.

We stared where he did, and waited as the last seconds passed.

(This next little part is basically the introduction of the Volturi. If you want to skip over it, I won't mind. I only changed a few little parts. The big changes won't happen for another 2-3 chapters.)

They came with pageantry, with a kind of beauty.

They came in a rigid, formal formation. They moved together, but it was not a march; they flowed in perfect synchronicity from the trees—a dark, unbroken shape that seemed to hover a few inches above the white snow, so smooth was the advance.

The outer perimeter was gray; the color darkened with each line of bodies until the heart of the formation was deepest black. Every face was cowled, shadowed.

The faint brushing sound of their feet was so regular it was like music, a complicated beat that never faltered.

At some sign I did not see—or perhaps there was no sign, only millennia of practice—the configuration folded outward. The motion was too stiff, too square to resemble the opening of a flower, though the color suggested that; it was the opening of a fan, graceful but very angular. The gray-cloaked figures spread to the flanks while the darker forms surged precisely forward in the center, each movement closely controlled.

Their progress was slow but deliberate, with no hurry, no tension, no anxiety. It was the pace of the invincible.

This was almost my old nightmare. The only thing lacking was the gloating desire I'd seen on the faces in my dream—the smiles of vindictive joy. Thus far, the Volturi were too disciplined to show any emotion at all. They also showed no surprise or dismay at the collection of vampires that waited for them here—a collection that looked suddenly disorganized and unprepared in comparison. They showed no surprise at the giant wolves that stood in our midst, or of my grandfather and me. Benjamin hid Remy behind him, and I silently thanked the boy.

I couldn't help counting. There were thirty-two of them. Even if you didn't count the two drifting, waifish black-cloaked figures in the very back, who I took to be the wives—their protected position suggesting that they would not be involved in the attack—we were still outnumbered. Even counting the ten wolves, they had us.

My grandfather growled low in his throat. "Remember what I always used to say about being surrounded," he muttered to me. "It's a 360 degree free-fire zone. Too bad I didn't bring any silver bullets with me."

"Silver bullets are for _werewolves_, Victor," I muttered back. "Brush up on your mythology, old man. Your son-in-law is one of the undead, for heaven's sake."

He chuckled softly, but I knew that his attention was on the approaching vampires.

"The redcoats are coming, the redcoats are coming," Garrett muttered mysteriously to himself and then chuckled once. He slid one step closer to Kate.

"They did come," Vladimir whispered to Stefan.

"The wives," Stefan hissed back. "The entire guard. All of them together. It's well we didn't try Volterra."

And then, as if their numbers were not enough, while the Volturi slowly and majestically advanced, more vampires began entering the clearing behind them.

The faces in this seemingly endless influx of vampires were the antithesis to the Volturi's expressionless discipline—they wore a kaleidoscope of emotions. At first there was shock and even some anxiety as they saw the unexpected force awaiting them. But that concern passed quickly. They were secure in their overwhelming numbers, secure in their position behind the unstoppable Volturi force. Their features returned to the expression they'd worn before we'd surprised them.

It was easy enough to understand their mindset—the faces were that explicit. This was an angry mob, whipped to a frenzy and slavering for justice. I did not fully realize the vampire world's feeling toward the immortal children before I read these faces.

And they thought we had two of them. Just my luck.

I adjusted my pose slightly so that Vick and Carlie could get a better grip. The action prompted a few of the unorganized vampires behind the Guard to glance my way. They seemed surprised once again, only this time I could see confusion on their faces as well.

I smirked internally. Just wait until they got a look at my new claws.

It was clear that this motley, disorganized horde—more than forty vampires altogether—was the Volturi's own kind of witness. When we were dead, they would spread the word that the criminals had been eradicated, that the Volturi had acted with nothing but impartiality. Most looked like they hoped for more than just an opportunity to witness—they wanted to help tear and burn.

We didn't have a prayer. Even if we could somehow neutralize the Volturi's advantages, they could still bury us in bodies. Even if we killed Demetri, Jacob and Leah would not be able to outrun this.

I could feel it as the same comprehension sunk in around me. Despair weighted the air, pushing me down with more pressure than before.

_No._

I straightened myself up taller. Now was not the time to be weak. Now was the time to give these so-called _royal _vampires a piece of my mind.

And maybe I'd take a few pieces out of them. One could always hope.

One vampire in the opposing force did not seem to belong to either party; I recognized Irina as she hesitated in between the two companies, her expression unique among the others. Irina's horrified gaze was locked on Tanya's position in the front line. Edward snarled. It was a very low but fervent sound.

"Alistair was right," he murmured to Carlisle.

I watched Carlisle glance at Edward questioningly.

"Alistair was right?" Tanya whispered.

"They—Caius and Aro—come to destroy and acquire," Edward breathed almost silently back; only our side could hear. "They have many layers of strategy already in place. If Irina's accusation had somehow proven to be false, they were committed to find another reason to take offence. But they can see Vick and Carlie now, so they are perfectly sanguine about their course. We could still attempt to defend against their other contrived charges, but first they have to stop, to hear the truth about the twins." Then, even lower. "Which they have no intention of doing."

Jacob gave a strange little huff.

And then, unexpectedly, two seconds later, the procession did halt. The low music of perfectly synchronized movements turned to silence. The flawless discipline remained unbroken; the Volturi froze into absolute stillness as one. They stood about a hundred yards away from us.

Behind me, to the sides, I heard the beating of large hearts, closer than before. I risked glances to the left and the right from the corners of my eyes to see what had stopped the Volturi advance.

The wolves had joined us.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Well, here it is folks. I think this may just be the third or fourth-to-last chapter in _Wolverine_. For those of you who just let out a cheer, please explain to the people now staring at you about what a wonderful author I am.

In other news, I just got back from camping and now sport a damned fine tan. Seriously, it almost matches my hair now. It's so beautifully colour coordinated!

More good news, I actually ran a little over my average word-count while writing this chapter. (I try to make it about 3000 words long before I add in the author's note). This means that I had to make a new file; chapter 31 of _Wolverine._ This is good news, because it gives me incentive to keep writing.

I will update as soon as I can. Hopefully I can get this done before I have to go back to school.


	31. Chapter 31

Wolverine

I know I've said this a thousand times, but I have a goal for how long it'll take me to finish this story. I'm giving myself twelve days - starting Saturday, 24th - to finish this. So I have until August 5th. I figure three more chapters. Four maybe, if I add in an epilogue, but it'll be shorter than the other chapters.

I won't go into a lot of boring chitchat. Here's chapter thirty-one.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

"_Sorry 'bout this, bub, but it's you or me - an' I like me better!"_

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

_The wolves had joined us._

Bella's POV

Victor chuckled humourlessly. "What do you know; mosquitoes are scared of puppies."

No one on our side seemed offended by his remarks, or maybe they recognized that he wasn't the Victor we knew and tolerated. He was a mercenary now. I suddenly pitied the poor vampires who dared try to attack him. He didn't live to be a hundred and fifty in his line of business without learning a few tricks.

I turned to Edward. "Which one is Aro?"

My husband stared straight ahead, his body tensed and ready for a fight. "Aro, Marcus, and Caius are the ones in the black cloaks. The stronger a vampire's ability, the darker their cloak. Don't underestimate the weaker ones, though. Only the most powerful join their ranks. Aro and Marcus are dark haired, while Caius is blond."

I studied the mass of faces until I found the three that reminded me most of the Romanian vampires. Their skin was almost translucent, and their eyes were milky-red. They moved with stunning grace, surpassing even Alice.

Alice.

I cringed internally. Where was she now? Was she safe?

I recognized several of the Guard from the incident with the newborns. Jane, Demetri, and Felix wore the darker cloaks. I was a little surprised at Felix's attire. I knew he didn't possess any extra powers. I assumed that his talents lay in the fact that he was very strong, like Emmett, and perhaps very skilled in hand-to-hand combat. I remembered how easily he'd dealt with Bree.

Victor could take him. No sweat.

Standing next to Jane, in another dark grey cloak, was Alec. I was sure of it. His hair was darker than his sister's, but the resemblance was there.

I wondered how long it would take me to get over there and take him out. I'd have Victor to back me up, but there were so many of them…

I heard Edward's breathing hitch.

"Edward?" Carlisle asked, low and anxious.

"They're not sure how to proceed. They're weighing options, choosing key targets - me, of course, you, Eleazar, Tanya. Marcus is reading the strength of our ties to each other, looking for weak points. The Romanians' presence irritates them. They're worried about the faces they don't recognize - Zafrina and Senna in particular - and the wolves, naturally. Aro knows who Bella is through Jane and Felix's thoughts, but he isn't sure who Victor or Remy are. They're making him nervous. They've never been outnumbered before. That's what stopped them."

"Outnumbered?" Tanya whispered incredulously.

"They don't count their witnesses," Edward breathed. "They are nonentities, meaningless to the guard. Aro just enjoys an audience."

Wonderful. A sadist _and _a drama queen.

"Should I speak?" Carlisle asked.

Edward hesitated, then nodded. "This is the only chance you'll get."

Carlisle squared his shoulders and paced several steps ahead of our defensive line. I hated to see him alone, unprotected.

He spread his arms, holding his palms up as if in greeting. "Aro, my old friend. It's been centuries."

The white clearing was dead silent for a long moment. I could feel the tension rolling off Edward as he listened to Aro's assessment of Carlisle's words. The strain mounted as the seconds ticked by.

And then Aro stepped forward out of the center of the Volturi formation. For the first time, the Volturi ranks reacted. A muttered grumble rolled through the line, eyebrows lowered into scowls, lips curled back from teeth. A few of the guard leaned forward into a crouch.

Aro held one hand up toward them. "Peace."

He walked just a few paces more, then cocked his head to one side. His milky eyes glinted with curiosity. I studied the ancient as intently as he studied Carlisle. I didn't like him. He made my instincts flair up. It was worse than the first time I had met Edward. I looked over at Victor and saw that he was having a similar reaction.

"Fair words, Carlisle," he breathed in a thin, wispy voice. "They seem out of place, considering the army you've assembled to kill me, and to kill my dear ones."

Carlisle shook his head and stretched his right hand forward as if there were not still almost a hundred yards between them. "You have but to touch my hand to know that was never my intent."

Aro's shrewd eyes narrowed. "But how can your intent possibly matter, dear Carlisle, in the face of what you have done?" He frowned, and a shadow of sadness crossed his features - whether it was genuine or not, I couldn't tell. I didn't really care either.

"I have not committed the crime you are here to punish me for."

"Then step aside and let us punish those responsible. Truly, Carlisle, nothing would please me more than to preserve your life today."

"No one has broken the law, Aro. Let me explain." Again, Carlisle offered his hand.

Before Aro could answer, Caius drifted swiftly forward to Aro's side.

"So many pointless rules, so many unnecessary laws you create for yourself, Carlisle," the white-haired ancient hissed. "How is it possible that you defend the breaking of one that truly matters?"

"The law is not broken. If you would listen-"

"We see the children, Carlisle," Caius snarled. "Do not treat us as fools."

"They are not immortal children, Caius. If you would allow us to explain-" Carlisle pleaded.

"If they are not immortal," Caius asked sardonically, "then why have you created an army to protect them?"

I growled under my breath. I had grown up in a time when people respected their elders. I didn't care how old Caius was - Carlisle did _not_ deserve to be treated like that.

"Witnesses, Caius, just as you have brought." Carlisle gestured to the angry horde at the edge of the woods; some of them growled in response. "Any one of these friends can tell you the truth about the children. Or you could just look at them, Caius. See the flush of human blood in their cheeks."

At that, Caius summoned Irina to his side and demanded an explanation. We watched with growing discomfort as he interrogated her as if this were the Spanish Inquisition. I'd become accustomed to the justice system of twenty-first century America that I'd forgotten just how deplorable the old methods were. It reminded me of the third-world countries we'd worked in during the earlier wars, where we found prisoners of war with their kneecaps broken or their fingers sliced off with rusty knives or their intestines hanging out of holes in their stomachs.

The degradation of it made my blood boil. Even if she _was _the cause of all of this, I gained no joy from her suffering.

My shield twitched.

The strange feeling of it distracted me as Aro took over the questioning. He was much calmer than Caius, but I still didn't like him.

He touched Irina's hand, searching her thoughts, I presumed.

"You see, Caius?" he said. "It's a simple matter to get what we need."

Caius didn't answer him. From the corner of his eye, Aro glanced once at his audience, his mob, and then turned back to Carlisle.

"And so we have a mystery on our hands, it seems. It would appear the children have grown. Yet Irina's first memory was clearly that of two immortal children. Curious."

"That's exactly what I'm trying to explain," Carlisle said, and from the change in his voice, I could guess at his relief. This was the pause we had pinned all our nebulous hopes on.

I felt no relief. I waited, almost numb with rage, for the layers of strategy Edward had promised.

Carlisle held out his hand again.

Aro stared at his old friend's hand for a moment, but I saw that his decision had already been made. Edward knew what would happen next, and kissed my forehead in anticipation. Remy moved a pace closer to me as my husband strode toward Aro. He clapped Carlisle on the shoulder as he passed.

Each step seemed to match my heartbeat, and each heartbeat made my shield pulse with renewed vigour.

I saw Jane smile as Edward crossed the midpoint in the distance between us, when he was closer to them than he was to us.

That smug little smile did it. My fury peaked. I felt it flow through me like a tidal wave of pure power. My muscles tightened, and I acted automatically. I threw my shield with all the force in my mind, flung it across the impossible expanse of the field like a javelin. My breath rushed out in a huff with the exertion.

The shield blew out from me in a bubble of sheer energy, a mushroom cloud of liquid steel. It pulsed like a living thing - I could feel it, from the apex to the edges.

There was no recoil to the elastic fabric now; in that instant of raw force, I saw that the backlash I'd felt before was of my own making - I had been clinging to that invisible part of me in self-defence, subconsciously unwilling to let it go. Now I set it free, and my shield exploded a good fifty yards out from me effortlessly, taking only a fraction of my concentration. I could feel it flex like just another muscle, obedient to my will. I pushed it, shaped it to a long, pointed oval. Everything underneath the flexible iron shield was suddenly a part of me - I could feel the life force of everything it covered like points of bright heat, dazzling sparks of light surrounding me. I thrust the shield forward the length of the clearing, and exhaled in relief when I felt Edward's brilliant light within my protection. I held there, contracting this new muscle so that it closely surrounded Edward, a thin but unbreakable sheet between his body and our enemies.

Barely a second had passed. Edward was still walking to Aro. Everything had changed absolutely, but no one had noticed the explosion except for me.

No, not quite.

Victor looked at me, and I saw the hair on the back of his hands rise up. He could sense the difference in the air. It crackled with power that only the two of us could really understand. I inclined my head slightly in his direction, and he grinned. We both turned back to the field and watched.

Edward stopped a few steps away from Aro, and I realized with some chagrin that though I certainly could, I shouldn't prevent this exchange from happening. This was the point of all our preparations - to get Aro to hear our side of the story. It was almost physically painful to do it, but reluctantly I pulled my shield back and left Edward exposed again. I focused totally on him, ready to shield him instantly if something went wrong.

Edward's chin came up arrogantly, and he held his hand out to Aro as if he were conferring a great honour. Aro seemed delighted by his attitude.

Aro closed the distance without pause - and really, what did he have to fear? The hulking shadows of the lighter gray cloaks - the brawny fighters like Felix - were but a few yards away. Jane and her burning gift could throw Edward on the ground, writhing in agony. Alec could blind and deafen him before he could take a step in Aro's direction. No one knew that I had the power to stop them, not even Edward.

With an untroubled smile, Aro took Edward's hand. His eyes snapped shut at once, and then his shoulders hunched under the onslaught of information.

Aro straightened, his eyes flashing open, their expression awed and wary. He did not release Edward's hand.

Edward's muscles loosened slightly.

"You see?" Edward asked.

"Yes, I see, indeed," Aro agreed, and amazingly, he sounded almost amused. "I doubt whether any two among gods or mortals have ever seen quite so clearly." And then, to the shock of his Guard, he asked to meet the babies.

"What is this about, Aro?" Caius snapped. Just the question had me pulling my children around into my arms, cradling them protectively against my chest. Vick twisted his head around to keep a close eye on his father. Carlie clung tightly to me in fear.

"Something you've never dreamed of, my practical friend. Take a moment to ponder, for the justice we intended to deliver no longer applies."

Caius hissed in surprise.

"Peace, brother," Aro cautioned soothingly.

This should have been good news - what we'd been hoping for, the reprieve we'd never really thought possible. Aro had listened to the truth. Aro had admitted that the law had not been broken.

But my eyes were riveted on Edward, and I saw the muscles in his back tighten. I replayed in my head Aro's instruction for Caius to ponder, and heard the double meaning.

Aro still gripped Edward's hand, and he now answered a question that the rest of us had not heard.

"I think a compromise on this one point is certainly acceptable, under the circumstances. We will meet in the middle."

The Guard protested as Aro released Edward's hand and turned back toward us. Aro threw one arm casually over Edward's shoulder like they were the best of friends - all the while maintaining contact with Edward's skin. They began to cross the field back to our side.

"Perhaps you should bring a few members of your guard with us," Edward suggested as the Guard's anxiety grew. "It will make them more comfortable."

Aro nodded as if this was a wise observation he should have thought of himself. He snapped his fingers twice. "Felix, Demetri, Jane."

The three vampires were at his side instantaneously, looking precisely the same as the last time I'd met them. I hadn't known the name of the blond vampire, Demetri, but now that I recognized him, I knew it was imperative that he not leave here alive if the Volturi attacked. I could do that much for Alice and Jasper.

"Bella, bring the babies…and a few friends," Edward instructed.

I had no trouble picking my allies. Jacob and Leah wouldn't abandon my children, and I could sense Aro's curiosity about Victor. The two wolves flanked me as I walked toward the small gathering. Victor walked next to Jacob on my left. I could sense his instincts acting up like mine. He wanted to fight. I heard another rumble from the guard as they saw my choices - clearly, they did not trust the werewolves. Aro lifted his

hand, waving away their protest again.

"Interesting company you keep," Demetri murmured to Edward.

Edward didn't respond, but a low growl slipped through Jacob's teeth. Carlie patted his nose to comfort him. Vick was oddly silent, his eyes flicking from one vampire to the next. "They really don't like us," he informed me in his softest voice. I nodded slightly in agreement.

We stopped a few yards from Aro. Edward ducked under his arm and quickly joined us.

For a moment, we faced each other in silence.

Aro took in the wolves and then sniffed the air experimentally. I saw the first hint of a grimace in his expression, but that was quickly replaced with curiosity. "How unusual. You _appear_ human, but your smell is almost like an animal's. No…that's not quite right. Ah, I could spend all day guessing, but I am sure that you both are as unique as they come."

He looked at me closely, and I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. "Bella," he addressed me directly now. "I'm fascinated that you, your grandfather, and your son are the exceptions to Edward's impressive talent - so very interesting that such a thing should occur! And I was wondering, since our talents are similar in many ways, if you would be so kind as to allow me to try - to see if you are an exception for _me_, as well?"

Edward took Carlie and I held out my left hand for Aro to touch. I caught a glimpse of Jane's pretentious smirk, and debated just slicing my claws through the little witch's neck. I managed to restrain myself as Aro took my hand. His skin was strange. It was hard, but felt brittle - shale rather than granite - and even colder than I expected.

Aro's face altered as I watched. The confidence wavered and became first doubt, then incredulity before he calmed it into a friendly mask. "So very interesting," he said as he released my hand.

I smirked back at him. "Maybe you should try Victor…although; he's always been rather empty-headed. You might not be able to tell the difference." I clenched my hand into a fist, ready to sheath my claws into his ribcage if he made one false move.

Aro gave me a tense smile, and I could tell that he didn't like being made fun of. "Perhaps now would be a good time to speak with your daughter, as your son's mind would appear to be as guarded as yours."

I felt some of my good mood dissipate, but I kept my cool. If Jane even _tried _to hurt Carlie, I could shield her in half a second, and tear the little bitch a new one before that second was up.

Edward looked at me, and I nodded, giving him a quick smile to let him know that everything was okay. We switched babies. Vick clung to me for a second longer than he needed and gave me a stern look. I returned it with a nod. I wouldn't let anything happen to his sister.

This was what we'd hoped for, I reminded myself. Fighting the urge to take Carlie and run for it, I walked two slow steps forward. My shield rippled out behind me like a cape, protecting the rest of my family while Carlie was left exposed. It felt wrong, horrible.

Aro met us, his face beaming. "But she's exquisite," he murmured. "So like you and Edward." And then louder, "Hello, Carlie."

Carlie looked at me quickly. I nodded.

"Hello, Aro," she answered formally in her high, ringing voice.

Aro's eyes were bemused.

"What is it?" Caius hissed from behind. He seemed infuriated by the need to ask.

"Half mortal, half immortal," Aro announced to him and the rest of the guard without turning his enthralled gaze from my daughter. "Conceived and carried by this astonishing girl."

"Impossible," Caius scoffed.

"Do you think they've fooled me, then, brother?" Aro's expression was greatly amused, but Caius flinched. "Is the heartbeat you hear a trickery as well?"

The two stared at each other for a moment, each vying for some sort of power. Aro won by a landslide and left Caius sulking as he turned back toward us.

He held out his hand to Carlie in invitation. But this was not what she wanted. She leaned away from me, stretching upward, to touch her fingertips to Aro's face.

Aro did not react with shock as almost everyone else had reacted to this performance; he was as used to the flow of thought and memory from other minds as Edward was.

His smile widened, and he sighed in satisfaction. "Brilliant," he whispered.

Carlie relaxed back into my arms, her little face very serious.

"Please?" she asked him.

His smile turned gentle. "Of course I have no desire to harm your loved ones, dear one."

Aro's voice was so comforting and affectionate, it took me in for a second. And then I heard Edward's teeth grind together and, far behind us, Maggie's outraged hiss at the lie. My own instincts caught up with it a second later and I forced myself not to growl.

Victor had no such qualms. The corners of his mouth turned down as he snarled. His hands curled and I saw his nails begin to grow. Felix stood hulking in front of him, but I knew that now was not the time for fighting.

"Victor," I said slowly. "Easy."

He stopped snarling and put his claws away, but I knew him well enough to see that it wasn't over.

"So much to discuss," Aro said, seemingly oblivious to the near-scuffle. "So much to decide. If you and your furry protectors will excuse me, my dear Cullens, I must confer with my brothers."

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

I think I'm going to make these next few chapters a little longer. I got up to 3500 words before I stopped. That's 500 more than usual, but it was necessary to make the story flow. I'm trying to skip over as much of the boring stuff as I can, but it's hard to pick and choose when so much of it seems important. I'm hoping none of you have read _Breaking Dawn _recently so that it all seems fresh to you. Sorry if it don't, but whattar ya gonna do?

Well, I got a friend of mine coming down for the week, but I'm sure she'd love to watch me spend four or five hours typing out the next few chapters. She loves _Twilight _too. We went to see _Eclipse _together. We also saw _Despicable Me,_ which, for a kid's movie, was actually really good! You guys should see it sometime.

I'll update soon, (like in two-three days).


	32. Chapter 32

Wolverine

No time for chatter. Here's chapter thirty-two.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

"_It's been a refreshing change t' take a break from my usual chorus line o' ninja and super assassins."_

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Bella's POV

As we retreated back to our respective sides, I tuned out the ancients' fight. Caius seemed pretty mad at Aro, but I wasn't in the mood to listen to them. I gave Victor a meaningful glance and set my jaw.

Eventually, they involved Irina in their little dispute. I checked my shield for flaws, comparing it to the strong, but fluttery shield of Renata. She was a vampire, but she was also a wimp. In a fight, I would obliterate her.

I examined every Guard with military eyes, searching for weak points. Jane and Alec, as powerful as they were, would be easy to take out. I couldn't imagine petulant little Jane giving up her advantage even to learn the most basic of fighting skills. Alec was smaller than me, and if Edward thought I was dangerous against enemies who were larger than me, than he didn't know what was coming. Once those two were out of the way, the Volturi would be nearly defenceless.

I came out of my thoughts with a gasp. Caius had been speaking with Irina, a sly, awful look in his eyes, and now I watched in stunned disbelief.

Three of the Volturi soldiers leaped forward, and Irina was completely obscured by their gray cloaks. In the same instant, a horrible metallic screeching ripped through the clearing. Caius slithered into the center of the gray melee, and the shocking squealing sound exploded into a startling upward shower of sparks and tongues of flame. The soldiers leaped back from the sudden inferno, immediately retaking their places in the guard's perfectly straight line.

Caius stood alone beside the blazing remains of Irina, the metal object in his hand still throwing a thick jet of flame into the pyre.

With a small clicking sound, the fire shooting from Caius's hand disappeared. A gasp rippled through the mass of witnesses behind the Volturi.

We were too aghast to make any noise at all. It was one thing to know that death was coming with fierce, unstoppable speed; it was another thing to watch it happen.

Caius smiled coldly. "Now she has taken full responsibility for her actions."

His eyes flashed to our front line, touching swiftly on Tanya's and Kate's frozen forms.

In a second, I realized what he had planned, but it wasn't soon enough to stop the sisters from racing forward to attack.

The strained peace of this summit already teetered more precariously than an elephant on a tightrope. Once the fight began, there would be no way to stop it. It would only escalate until one side was entirely extinct. Our side. Caius knew this.

So did Remy.

A second after they began rushing forward, I saw two playing cards fly out in front of them. The blasts that followed weren't enough to hurt them, but they did send the two women flying backwards. They somersaulted in the air and landed on one knee. I saw that they intended to try again, but this time we were prepared.

Carlisle locked his arms around Tanya's waist before she could take one more step, but Kate was much harder to hold. I saw Remy preparing to throw another card and held up my hand to stop him. Rosalie and Emmett both tried their hand at containing the powerful woman before Garrett locked his arms around her, holding her even as she shocked him with every ounce of strength.

I peeled my shield away from her, protecting Garrett.

Carlisle whispered desperately to the women as I studied Aro's expression. It was a mix of curiosity and disappointment. He looked at Remy, studying him as if he were an interesting specimen. Remy shuffled his deck of cards, readying himself for the fight that seemed inevitable.

The Volturi guard no longer stood at disciplined attention - they were crouched forward, waiting to spring the counter-strike the moment we attacked.

Behind them, forty-three witnesses watched with very different expressions than the ones they'd worn entering the clearing. Confusion had turned to suspicion. The lightning-fast destruction of Irina had shaken them all. What had been her crime?

Without the immediate attack that Caius had counted on to distract from his rash act, the Volturi witnesses were left questioning exactly what was going on here. Aro glanced back swiftly while I watched, his face betraying him with one flash of vexation. His need for an audience had backfired badly.

I heard Stefan and Vladimir murmur to each other in quiet glee at Aro's

discomfort.

Aro was obviously concerned with saving their reputation. After they finished with us, surely they would slaughter their witnesses for that purpose. I felt a strange, sudden pity for the mass of the strangers the Volturi had brought to watch us die. Demetri would hunt them until they were extinct, too.

For Jacob and Leah, for Alice and Jasper, for Alistair, for my children, and for these strangers who had not known what today would cost them, Demetri had to die.

Aro touched Caius's shoulder lightly. "Irina has been punished for bearing false witness against these children." So that was to be their excuse. He went on. "Perhaps we should return to the matter at hand?"

Caius straightened, and his expression hardened. He stared forward, seeing nothing. His face reminded me, oddly, of a person who'd just learned he'd been demoted.

Aro drifted forward, Renata, Felix, and Demetri automatically moving with him.

"Just to be thorough," he said, "I'd like to speak with a few of your witnesses. Procedure, you know." He waved a hand dismissively.

Two things happened at once. Caius's eyes focused on Aro, and the tiny cruel smile came back. And Edward hissed, his hands balling up in fists so tight it looked like the bones in his knuckles would split through his diamond-hard skin.

I was desperate to ask him what was going on, but Aro was close enough to hear even the quietest breath. I saw Carlisle glance anxiously at Edward's face, and then his own face hardened.

While Caius had blundered through useless accusations and injudicious attempts to trigger the fight, Aro must have been coming up with a more effective strategy.

Victor growled, and I restrained myself from doing the same. I really didn't like this.

As Aro slowly made his way down the lines, interrogating the witnesses, I watched with cynical eyes. Amun made good on his promise and told Aro everything he knew about my children. He said that they posed no threat in his eyes.

Honestly, if Aro thought my _children_ were a threat, he would get a big surprise if he pushed _me _too far.

"Aro?" Amun called after his interrogation was finished.

Aro whirled back. "Yes, friend?"

"I gave my witness. I have no more business here. My mate and I would like to take our leave now."

Aro smiled warmly. "Of course. I'm so glad we were able to chat for a bit. And I'm sure we'll see each other again soon."

Amun's lips were a tight line as he inclined his head once, acknowledging the barely concealed threat. He touched Kebi's arm, then the two of them ran quickly to the southern edge of the meadow and disappeared into the trees. I knew they wouldn't stop running for a very long time.

Aro was gliding back along the length of our line to the east, his guards hovering tensely. He stopped when he was in front of Siobhan's massive form, and began to grill her next.

"They are no danger to humans - they blend in better than we do. They pose no threat of exposure," Siobhan told him.

"Can you think of none?" Aro asked soberly.

Edward growled, a low ripping sound deep in his throat.

Caius's cloudy crimson eyes brightened.

Renata reached out protectively toward her master.

And Garrett freed Kate to take a step forward, ignoring Kate's hand as she tried to caution him this time.

Siobhan answered slowly, "I don't think I follow you."

Aro drifted lightly back, casually, but toward the rest of his guard. Renata, Felix, and Demetri were closer than his shadow.

"There is no broken law," Aro said in a placating voice, but every one of us could hear that a qualification was coming. I fought back the rage that tried to claw its way up my throat and snarl out my defiance. I hurled the fury into my shield, thickening it, making sure everyone was protected.

"No broken law," Aro repeated. "However, does it follow then that there is no danger? No." He shook his head gently. "That is a separate issue."

The only response was the tightening of already stretched nerves, and Maggie, at the fringes of our band of fighters, shaking her head with slow anger.

Aro paced thoughtfully, looking as if he floated rather than touched the ground with his feet. I noticed every pass took him closer to the protection of his Guard.

"They are unique…utterly, impossibly unique. Such a waste it would be, to destroy something so lovely. Especially when we could learn so much…" He sighed, as if unwilling to go on. "But there is danger, danger that cannot simply be ignored."

No one answered his assertion. It was dead silent as he continued his monologue.

"These amazing children…" He lifted his hand palm down as if to rest it on one of my children's heads, though he was forty yards from them now, almost within the Volturi formation again. "…if we could but know they're potential - know with absolute certainty that they could always remain shrouded within the obscurity that protects us. But we know nothing of what they will become! Their own parents are plagued by fears of their future. We cannot know what they will grow to be." He paused, looking first at our witnesses, and then, meaningfully, at his own. His voice gave a good imitation of sounding torn by his words.

Still looking at his own witnesses, he spoke again. "Only the known is safe. Only the known is tolerable. The unknown is… a vulnerability."

Caius's smile widened viciously.

"You're reaching, Aro," Carlisle said in a bleak voice.

"Peace, friend." Aro smiled, his face as kind, his voice as gentle, as ever. "Let us not be hasty. Let us look at this from every side."

Garrett stepped forward then, intent on giving _his _side next. I listened to his speech with rapt attention, warmth spreading through me as he defended not only our group, but gave the witnesses a chance to defend themselves by stating exactly what the Volturi would do to them once they finished with us.

As he finished, Aro smiled. "A very pretty speech, my revolutionary friend."

Garrett remained poised for attack. "Revolutionary?" he growled. "Who am I revolting against, might I ask? Are you my king? Do you wish me to call you _master_, too, like your sycophantic guard?"

"Peace, Garrett," Aro said tolerantly. "I meant only to refer to your time of birth. Still a patriot, I see."

Garrett glared back furiously.

As his next course of action, Aro asked his own witnesses what they thought. One vampire, a woman named Makenna chose to leave, stating that she could sense the truth in Garrett's words. Her mate, Charles, went with her, and another vampire took off a second later.

And then three more left after that.

I surveyed the rest of the witnesses. They weren't even close to the mob they had been just moments prior. Most looked too confused to make a decision.

Or maybe they wanted to stick around to know exactly who would be chasing them when this was over.

I was sure Aro saw the same thing I did. He turned away, walking back to his guard with a measured pace. He stopped in front of them and addressed them in a clear voice.

"We are outnumbered, dearest ones," he said. "We can expect no outside help. Should we leave this question undecided to save ourselves?"

"No, master," they whispered in unison.

"Is the protection of our world worth perhaps the loss of some of our number?"

"Yes," they breathed. "We are not afraid."

Aro smiled and turned to his black-clad companions.

"Brothers," Aro said sombrely, "there is much to consider here."

"Let us counsel," Caius said eagerly.

"Let us counsel," Marcus repeated in an uninterested tone.

Aro turned his back to us again, facing the other ancients. They joined hands to form a black-shrouded triangle.

As soon as Aro's attention was engaged in the silent counsel, two more of their witnesses disappeared silently into the forest. I hoped, for their sakes, that they were fast.

I hoped Jacob and Leah were fast too. I quickly took out the two letters that rested in my pockets. They contained everything my children and the wolves would need to survive; passports, driver's licenses, birth certificates, and money, lots of money. I'd scrounged up every penny from my old accounts and packed it all inside. If they were smart with it, they'd have enough to last them a few years before anyone would need to get a job and risk being found by any remaining Volturi Guards.

I hoped to ensure that they weren't any left, but I didn't want them taking chances.

I lifted Vick and Carlie off my back and sat them on their respective shape-shifters. After handing Vick the letters, I stretched up on my toes and whispered into Jacob's ear. "Wait until they're totally distracted, then run. You too, Leah. Get as far from this place as you possibly can. When you've gone as far as you can on foot, Vick has what you need to get you in the air."

I ignored the looks I received, from shape-shifter and vampire alike.

Jacob turned to me, his expressive eyes full of agony, the rumbling growl still grating through his chest.

"You're the only one we could ever trust her with," I murmured to him. "If you didn't love her so much, I could never bear this. I know you can protect her, Jacob." I turned to Leah next and gently touched her silver fur. "Please Leah, try to get along with Jake. I couldn't bare it if the twins felt they had to choose between the two. Besides, she's going to need you when she gets older." I tried to smile, but I knew I didn't do a good job.

"Alice?" Edward questioned.

I nodded slowly. "She knew what I had to do."

The others were not oblivious to the farewell scene. Their eyes were locked on the silent black triangle, but I could tell they were listening.

"Is there no hope, then?" Carlisle whispered. There was no fear in his voice; just determination and acceptance.

"There is absolutely hope," I murmured back. It could be true, I told myself. "I only know my own fate."

Edward took my hand. He knew that he was included. When I said my fate, there was no question that I meant the two of us. We were just halves of the whole.

Esme's breath was ragged behind me. She moved past us, touching our faces as she passed, to stand beside Carlisle and hold his hand.

Suddenly, we were surrounded by murmured goodbyes and I love you's.

"If we live through this," Garrett whispered to Kate, "I'll follow you anywhere, woman."

"Now he tells me," she muttered.

Rosalie and Emmett kissed quickly but passionately.

Tia caressed Benjamin's face. He smiled back cheerfully, catching her hand and holding it against his cheek.

"I'll make sure you get a good head start, _mes amis_," (my friends) Remy said to Jake and Leah. He held up the two joker cards playfully and handed one to each twin. "To remember me by, _chéris._" (darlings) He gave them a slight bow and turned back to face the Volturi.

I didn't see all the expressions of love and pain. I was distracted by a sudden fluttering pressure against the outside of my shield. I couldn't tell where it came from, but it felt like it was directed at the edges of our group, Siobhan and Liam particularly. The pressure did no damage, and then it was gone.

There was no change in the silent, still forms of the counselling ancients. But

perhaps there was some signal I'd missed.

"Get ready," I whispered to the others. "It's starting."

"Chelsea is trying to break our bindings," Edward whispered. "But she can't find

them. She can't feel us here. . . ." His eyes cut to me. "Are you doing that?"

I smiled grimly at him. "I am all over this."

Edward lurched away from me suddenly, his hand reaching out toward Carlisle. At the same time, I felt a much sharper jab against the shield where it wrapped protectively around Carlisle's light. It wasn't painful, but it wasn't pleasant, either.

"Carlisle? Are you all right?" Edward gasped frantically.

"Yes. Why?"

"Jane," Edward answered.

The moment that he said her name, a dozen pointed attacks hit in a second, stabbing all over the elastic shield, aimed at twelve different bright spots. I flexed, making sure the shield was undamaged. It didn't seem like Jane had been able to pierce it. I glanced around quickly; everyone was fine.

"Incredible," Edward said.

"Why aren't they waiting for the decision?" Tanya hissed.

"Normal procedure," Edward answered brusquely. "They usually incapacitate those on trial so they can't escape."

I looked across at Jane, who was staring at our group with furious disbelief. I was pretty sure that, besides me, she'd never seen anyone remain standing through her fiery assault.

It probably wasn't very mature. But I figured it would take Aro about half a second to guess - if he hadn't already - that my shield was more powerful than Edward had known; I already had a big target on my forehead and there was really no point in trying to keep the extent of what I could do a secret. So I grinned

a huge, smug smile right at Jane.

Her eyes narrowed, and I felt another stab of pressure, this time directed at me.

I pulled my lips wider, showing my teeth.

Jane let out a high-pitched scream of a snarl. Everyone jumped, even the disciplined guard. Everyone but the ancients, who didn't so much as look up from their conference. Her twin caught her arm as she crouched to spring.

The Romanians started chuckling with dark anticipation.

"I told you this was our time," Vladimir said to Stefan.

"Just look at the witch's face," Stefan chortled.

Alec patted his sister's shoulder soothingly, then tucked her under his arm. He turned his face to us, perfectly smooth, completely angelic.

I waited for some pressure, some sign of his attack, but I felt nothing. He continued to stare in our direction, his pretty face composed. Was he attacking? Was he getting through my shield? I checked the line of vampires beside me. They all seemed aware enough for me.

"Is Alec trying?" I asked Edward.

He nodded. "His gift is slower than Jane's. It creeps. It will touch us in a few seconds."

I saw it then, when I had a clue of what to look for.

A strange clear haze was oozing across the snow, nearly invisible against the white. It reminded me of a mirage - a slight warping of the view, a hint of a shimmer. I pushed my shield out from Carlisle and the rest of the front line, afraid to have the slinking mist too close when it hit. What if it stole right through my intangible protection? Should we run?

A low rumbling murmured through the ground under our feet, and a gust of wind blew the snow into sudden flurries between our position and the Volturi's. Benjamin had seen the creeping threat, too, and now he tried to blow the mist away from us. The snow made it easy to see where he threw the wind, but the mist didn't react in any way. It was like air blowing harmlessly through a shadow; the shadow was immune.

The triangular formation of the ancients finally broke apart when, with a racking groan, a deep, narrow fissure opened in a long zigzag across the middle of the clearing. The earth rocked under my feet for a moment. The drifts of snow plummeted into the hole, but the mist skipped right across it, as untouched by gravity as it had been by wind.

Remy joined Benjamin quickly, unleashing a series of mini-explosions to try to divert the attack. His eyes turned as red as the fires of hell. I hoped the Volturi were aware of what they were up against. Even the most human of our group could still kick ass.

Aro and Caius watched the opening earth with wide eyes. Marcus looked in the same direction without emotion.

They didn't speak; they waited, too, as the mist approached us. The wind shrieked louder but didn't change the course of the mist. Jane was smiling now.

And then the mist hit a wall.

I could taste it as soon as it touched my shield - it had a dense, sweet, cloying flavour. It made me remember dimly the numbness of Novocain on my tongue.

The mist curled upward, seeking a breach, a weakness. It found none. The fingers of searching haze twisted upward and around, trying to find a way in, and in the process illustrating the astonishing size of the protective screen.

There were gasps on both sides of Benjamin's gorge.

"Well done, Bella!" Benjamin cheered in a low voice.

My smile returned.

I could see Alec's narrowed eyes, doubt on his face for the first time as his mist swirled harmlessly around the edges of my shield.

And then I knew that I could do this. Obviously, I would be the number-one priority, the first one to die, but as long as I held, we were on more than equal footing with the Volturi. We still had Benjamin and Zafrina; they had no supernatural help at all. As long as I held.

"I'm going to have to concentrate," I whispered to Edward. "When it comes to hand to hand, it's going to be harder to keep the shield around the right people."

"I'll keep them off you."

"No. You have to get to Demetri. Zafrina will keep them away from me."

Zafrina nodded solemnly. "No one will touch this young one," she promised Edward.

"I'd go after Jane and Alec myself, but I can do more good here."

"Jane's mine," Kate hissed. "She needs a taste of her own medicine."

"Alec owes me many lives, but I will settle for his," Vladimir growled from the other side. "He's mine."

"I just want Caius," Tanya said evenly.

The others started divvying up opponents, too, but they were quickly interrupted.

Aro, staring calmly at Alec's ineffective mist, finally spoke.

"Before we vote," he began.

I shook my head angrily. I was tired of this charade. The bloodlust was igniting in me again, and I was sorry that I would help the others more by standing still. I wanted to fight.

"Let me remind you," Aro continued, "whatever the council's decision, there need be no violence here."

Edward snarled out a dark laugh.

Aro stared at him sadly. "It will be a regrettable waste to our kind to lose any of you. But you especially, young Edward, and your fascinating mate. The Volturi would be glad to welcome many of you into our ranks. Bella, Benjamin, Zafrina, Kate, Victor, Mr Lebeau. There are many choices before you. Consider them."

Chelsea's attempt to sway us fluttered impotently against my shield. Aro's gaze swept across our hard eyes, looking for any indication of hesitation. From his expression, he found none.

And then they voted, and the battle began.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

I'm just gonna go hide behind this bullet-proof glass over here until I can get the next chapter up. It's probably gonna be the last one, (_Finally!_), so I'm going to spend an awful lot of time making it good.

I'll see you all later.


	33. Chapter 33

Wolverine

Here it is; the big battle you've waited for. I hope I can do it justice.

Here's chapter thirty-three.

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

_Logan: "The X-Men are here and we're down to kick butt and take names!"  
Beast: "I wouldn't put it so crudely!"  
Logan: "Okay, Beastie - let us pummel these louts severely about the head and shoulders!"_

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Victor's POV (Because he's just so awesome)

In the time it took Aro to say his final vote, I had my claws out and Zafrina had blinded half the Volturi Guard. I let out a deep growl, crossed the field in a split-second, and pounced on Felix. He was blind, but far from helpless. He shoved me up into the air and jumped to his feet, listening.

For the few seconds that I was airborne, I got a good look at what was happening down below.

Kate was downing vampires as if they were whack-a-moles. Right behind her was Garrett, who made sure to rip off a limb or two of the stunned bloodsuckers. They were heading straight for the three brothers. I hoped she ripped that slimy little blonde's head right off.

The wolves were everywhere, tearing through some of the weaker guards who still had their sight. One of them snapped a young wolf's leg in half and threw him against a tree before being overtaken by two others.

Edward dodged every blow aimed at him. He was quick - quicker than me even. I saw his target standing blind near the center of the remaining guards. Demetri turned his head side-to-side, as if searching. I wondered how well his tracking skills were. Maybe he didn't even _need _his sight to know where we all were.

Most of the witnesses were running. A few remained, but they edged closer to the woods every moment.

Benjamin and Lebeau coulda been a tag-team all their lives for how well they were working together. Lebeau powered up boulders just as fast as Benny could throw 'em. The resulting explosions sent the grey-cloaked guards every which way. And not all of them in one piece.

The rest of the Cullen clan were busy too. As I watched, and began to descend, Rosalie ripped an arm off a grey-cloaked woman, and Emmett ripped off the other.

Felix suddenly raced forward, and I realized that his sight had come back. I felt the oddest sensation of panic as I saw him heading straight for Bella.

I shouldn't have worried. Just as he was about to reach her, she let her new claws out and jabbed them through his stomach. Then, she spun around on her heel, lifting Felix off the ground, and sent him soaring towards me.

I grinned a little, and balled up my fists, locking my fingers together. As soon I he was in range, I smashed my hands down onto his big, fat, head and sent him spiralling back to Earth. I landed half a second later and grabbed his arm. I was all set to rip it right out of its socket when…

"STOP!"

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Bella's POV

"STOP!"

I could say with certainty that I had never heard anything so beautiful in my life than when I heard Alice's pleading voice echo throughout the field.

Everyone froze.

Edward hissed, "_Yes!_" I risked a glance at him. His face glowed with an expression of triumph that I didn't understand - it was the expression an angel of destruction might wear while the world burned. Beautiful and terrifying.

I wondered how long to pause would last. I sensed the growing tension as she approached, felt the desire to keep fighting. Bloodlust coated the air.

Luckily, Aro raised one paper-skinned hand and the Guard backed off. "It appears we have another witness," he murmured as Alice came into view. I saw the desire in his eyes as he looked at her. From Edward's memories, he'd obviously seen the extent of her abilities. I growled low in my throat, but it cut off as I saw Leah, Jacob, and the twins behind her. Then Jasper came into view, and then a female vampire, and then…

"I can't believe it." I couldn't take my eyes away from the boy. His eyes were the colour of warm-teak, yet they were not contact lenses. His skin was flushed with blood, a warm brown shade. He ran nearly as fast as the others, far too fast for a human, but not as graceful as a vampire.

As he neared us, a new sound sent shock waves through the watching crowd - the sound of another heartbeat, accelerated with exertion.

I suddenly understood Edward's expression. The reasons the Guard had given for our destruction, the fact that we didn't _know _what would happen to my children, was gone. The remaining Volturi witnesses stood back, but watched with penetrating eyes as Alice introduced the two strangers.

I listened in awe as the female vampire, Huilen, told us the story of how a vampire had impregnated her sister, and then left her to die when the baby, Nahuel, began to grow. How he'd killed his mother and then bitten Huilen just minutes later. How quickly he had aged from an infant to a young adult, and how he had stayed that way for a hundred and fifty years.

I looked at my children, both so tiny and almost fragile, and I looked at Nahuel, young, beautiful, immortal.

I grinned and looked back at Aro, just daring him to disagree that his fears were unfounded. Here was _proof_. If he continued fighting now, I would do everything in my power to kill him, and his witnesses would condemn him.

He had no choice but to leave. It was an uneasy parting. The Guard picked up their severed limbs and retreated slowly into the forest. The remaining witnesses gave them a wide berth and then fled in different directions.

All the while, I kept my shield up and ready. The instinct to protect my family and friends didn't allow me to let it down until Alice assured me that they weren't coming back. And with that, I collapsed into Edward's arms and laughed.

The celebrations continued as the vampires embraced their mates. Remy mussed up Benjamin's hair, laughing all the while. Some of the younger wolves stood up on their hind legs and high-fived each other with their massive paws. Jacob and Leah changed back and swept the twins up in their arms. They rushed over to Edward and me so that we could hug our children. Vick held my neck so tightly that it was hard to breathe, but I didn't protest. Carlie kissed Edward on the cheek and touched my arm, sending me a message of love in the form of a mental hug.

Victor wandered over, looking suddenly out of place. I gave Vick back to Leah and wrapped my arms around him as tightly as I could. "Thank you," I whispered in his ear. He patted my back and set me down, only for him to be leapt on by his great-grandchildren. He laughed and fell to the ground, as if the two of them had actually knocked him over.

"So, how 'bout those single moms?" he asked Vick playfully. The boy laughed in response.

I shook my head and leaned into Edward's embrace.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, I was completely, and effortlessly happy.

THE END

_Wolviewolviewolvie_

Yes everyone, you read those last words correctly. This story is _done!_ Hurray! Yee-haw! Yippee-ki-yay motherfudger!

Okay, I'm all right now.

As much as I have enjoyed writing this, it's time for me to move on. I still have two incomplete stories that I plan to finish before I graduate, and a few others to finish while I'm in college. Believe me, my adoring readers; I'm not going anywhere. Prepare yourselves, because I have a lot of new ideas for _Hunter _and _Talent Search_, and no social life to distract me from writing them down!

Here's hoping I make it to a thousand reviews, and now I bid thee, adieu. _(Dramatic bow)_


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